Promise Me, Always and Forever
by IAmTheRevelation
Summary: Nik has grown under her Uncle Elijah's unconditional love and the promise of Always and Forever. However, during a trip to New Orleans, Nik is rendered helpless and is at the mercy of her estranged father, Klaus. When met with a powerful enemy that threatens the Mikaelsons, can Nik learn to trust her father or will she have to seek her own salvation from the evil around her?
1. Chapter 1

**C.1: Always and Forever**

 **Hi, everyone! I've recently started rewatching The Originals and thought I'd give a whirl at writing a story for it. From what I've seen, fanfiction about Klaus having another child is a little overdone but I couldn't pass the opportunity!**

 **First chapter takes place nine years before the first season of the Originals. The story closely follows the plot of the first season. That being said- Klaus is still a huge jerk; Elijah is still honorable and noble and believes in the power of Always and Forever** _ **;**_ **my OC, Nik, is struggling to find a place in all the chaos Klaus has sparked.**

 **I hope everyone enjoys!**

* * *

 _~Elijah~_

 _December 10, 2003_

 _Elijah has not seen Mystic Falls in what seems like centuries._

The eldest Original made it a point to often stop by as the years passed by. He wished to see how his home had changed over the years. He remembers years back when Mystic Falls had been small with only a Main Street and a handful of shops well up into the early 1920's. Then, everything changed with the addition of buildings and homes were built. It became a busy little town and Elijah, if he were being honest, was sad to see it change.

Tonight, however, he has not come to see the town's change in the last decade. He has come on a much more important trip.

His brown eyes search for the address he needs. _15 Oak Lane._ After another minute or so, he finds the address and turns into the home's driveway. Once he parks the car, he looks over the house in front of him. It's a two story home made of brick, decorated for Christmas. Toys litter the yard from children at play and there are a slew of bikes parked at the front of the garage.

Elijah exits the car, eyes snapping towards the window where he sees the movement of curtains. Then, he watches as the door is opened by a man with dark hair and eyes to match. In his hand, he clutches a child's bag and behind him follows a fair haired child with blue hues. He can tell the girl has been crying and she looks petrified. Elijah stops at the end of the walkway, watching as the man descends the steps.

The man nearly laughs. "I'm surprised you decided to come."

Elijah clenches his jaw. "Granted, it was short notice. I came to relieve you of your problem, since a five year old is such a burden." In fact, the girl doesn't even look five. She's the size of a three year old, much too thin and short for her age.

"You have no idea how much trouble this...this _creature_ is," he spits, pointing to the little girl. The girl hangs her head down, ashamed of herself. "If her mother were living, maybe it wouldn't have come down to this. I could have _tolerated_ her. But I can't have the reminder of the monster her mother slept with running around."

"She's a child," Elijah states firmly. He knew nothing of the girl until forty-eight hours ago. He received a call from the man before him- David- and he said for him to pick up the "monstrosity" that belonged to his brother, Niklaus. Elijah knew not how he came across the number or how it was possible for Klaus to have a child, but his brother has always defied nature. His curiosity led him back to Mystic Falls to see this miracle child and he knows he hasn't been lied to.

"No child's eyes glow yellow or makes things levitate. She has _fangs_ when she's angry- she bit her brother and caused him to have stitches," David sneers. Then, he throws the bag to Elijah's feet, the blue bag rolling harshly over the ground before stopping at his shoes. David points to Elijah, looking at the girl. " _Go."_

Elijah would have had the man's head for speaking to the girl that way, but he can't with the girl watching. He can't with the other children needing a father.

The Original kneels down. He smiles at the girl. "Come. I won't hurt you." His eyes watch as the little girl shuffles towards him, shaking because of the cold. She edges closer until she's standing before him and Elijah studies over her.

 _She looks so much like Klaus that it's terrifying._

If Klaus had been a girl, this would have what he'd looked like. The girl has a small scar over her right eyebrow and Elijah can see the fading bruises over her left jaw.

The girl sniffles and wipes her eyes. She's trying so hard to be brave. "A-Are you my daddy?" Her voice quakes and Elijah smiles sadly, shaking his head.

"No, little one. I wish I was, though," Elijah says. He draws his handkerchief from his pocket, drying the girl's face. "I am your Uncle Elijah. I'm your father's older brother."

The girl gives a trembling smile. "M-My name's Rebekah, but my mom called me by my middle name: Nikol. She called me Nik a lot."

Elijah smiles. _Rebekah Nikol._ She was named for Rebekah and Klaus. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Nik."

"He says I'm going to stay with you," Nik says, wringing her hands nervously.

Elijah takes her hands, holding them softly. "That's correct. You shouldn't worry, though. I will take good care of you and I will never leave you."

Nik gives a timid smile and Elijah smoothes her long locks. Then, he rises to his feet after grabbing her bag. He offers his hand to Nik and she carefully places her tiny hand in Elijah's palm. He begins to lead the girl back to the car and Nik looks over her shoulder a few times, leaving the only home she has ever known.

He extends his arms towards the girl once he opens the car's door. Inside sits a pink booster seat decorated in purple flowers. He had picked it up on his way to Mystic Falls, knowing that she needed one.

Nik moves towards Elijah and the Original scoops her up, gently settling her inside the car. He watches as the five-year-old goes to buckle her seatbelt, her little hands shaking violently and Elijah notices an elevation in her heart rate and her breathing.

"Easy, darling. You're getting yourself too worked up," Elijah soothes, taking one of Nik's hands and he squeezes gently.

Nik releases a trembling sob. "What about my brothers and sister? What if they're m-monsters, too? H-He's gonna be m-mean to them!"

Elijah frowns. "No, love. No one is a monster. You are not a monster." He dries Nik's tears, trying to soothe the wailing girl. He sits with her until her tears cease and he runs his hand over her head. "And he will not mistreat them."

"Why doesn't he want me?" Nik questions bitterly. Elijah can see that life has hurt her at an early age. It took her mother from her and she has been disowned from the only family she has known all her life. Even now, she poses a risk at being rejected by Klaus, who has said nothing much about the child since they discovered Nik.

Elijah only smiles. "It simply means you are wanted somewhere else. _I_ want you."

Nik gives a watery smile in return. She looks so much like Klaus had growing up. Their father was less than nice to him. Elijah recounts the several times Mikael beat and berated Klaus during his human life and tormented him during his eternal one.

"Now, Nik, let's take you home," Elijah says, ruffling the girl's hair.

…

 _The drive with Nik is more pleasant than he thought it would be._

When Elijah imagined five-year-olds, he imagined endless questions and the cacophonies of "Are We There Yet," and, "I Need To Use The Bathroom." Nik, however, has proven to be a very quiet, shy child. Most of the trip, Elijah was the one to initiate conversations and ask the questions.

Through their conversation, Elijah learned that Nik's birthday was on October 30th; he learned her favorite color was teal; her favorite food is spaghetti; her favorite thing to do is ride a bicycle. Everything she revealed was that of a typical child- she enjoyed to play and laugh and have fun.

Elijah will make sure she has a normal childhood- as normal as their lifestyle will allow.

He stops for the night in North Carolina. He decides that Nik needs a break from all the driving and he can get her something to eat. He stays in a hotel no less than five stars- he wants everything to be perfect for Nik.

The Original watches Nik as she plays in the tub. He decided to bathe her and let her have dinner after. With him he has brought a slew of bath soaps and shampoo he thought were best for Nik. He brought along several bath toys for her to use, and he can only smile as she moves a boat through the water.

He holds out on pulling the girl from the tub a while longer, letting her splash about a few moments longer before he rinses her and wraps her in a towel, settling her on the tiled floor as he grabs pajamas to dress her in after she's dried.

Nik is dried and dressed in her pajamas when she looks up at Elijah, her brow furrowed. "Elijah?"

Elijah smiles down at the girl, leading her from the bathroom. "What is it, little one?"

She looks troubled a few moments. It seems that she is struggling to find her words as she climbs up into the bed, sitting with her legs crossed. "What's my daddy like? You haven't talked about him a lot."

"Your father...he's a very peculiar man," Elijah says, sitting down next to Nik. "You see...Klaus was a very kind man. There was unforeseen incidents that strongly affected his character. As years passed, he lost more and more of the side that made him _human_."

Nik frowns. "Does that mean he's a bad person?"

"No...no. Your father isn't bad, but his loyalties lay here and there. He's changed from the man I knew him to be," Elijah answers, trying to put it into terms that Nik can understand.

"What if he doesn't want me like David?" Nik asks, looking terrified.

Elijah smoothes her damp hair behind her ear. "Whatever happens with Klaus, it matters not. Know that I am here. I cannot promise you of Klaus' intentions, but you will be mine regardless of whatever takes place."

Nik gives a soft smile before taking Elijah's hand in her little one. The Original smiles softly and takes Nik's hand, kissing her knuckles. "I promise you, Nikol. Always and Forever."

"What does that mean?"

"Years ago, when our family was together and happy, we made a promise to each other. _Always and Forever_. We put family above all. You have been born into that promise, and I will protect you- Always and Forever."

Nik smiles. "Always and Forever."

…

 _They arrive in Georgia late the next evening._

Elijah pulls up to their huge plantation house, eyes drifting to the rear view mirror to see Nik opening her eyes from her nap.

Nik was, once again, silent for most of the trip except to ask Elijah in an embarrassed voice if she could use the bathroom and when they stopped to eat. The rest of the time, Nik barely initiated conversation until Elijah began a game of Twenty Questions to hear her voice. Sometimes, he had feared he left her at a rest stop because Nik was so quiet.

"Did you sleep well, little one?" Elijah asks, smiling widely as Nik begins to fully come to.

Nik nods, her curly blond hair bobbing at the motion. "Yeah." Her blue hues flit towards the house and she looks at Elijah in disbelief. " _You live here?"_

Elijah chuckles. "It is one of our many homes around the world. Your father and I have been here a while to see to some business."

Nik's mouth nearly drops open, but she just grins giddily and Elijah chuckles at the girl's wonder. He watches as she unbuckles her seatbelt and Elijah goes around to open the girl's door, taking her tiny hand and he carries in their small travel bags.

He walks slowly to the house to accommodate Nik's little legs, keeping a slow pace as they walk up the steps leading to the front porch. Then, he carefully opens the door and lets Nik walk inside, following close behind her.

"This place is bigger than any house I've been in," Nik comments, looking up at Elijah with wide eyes.

Elijah chuckles. "So it is. Long ago, when this house was built, we had quite the slew of guests. We entertained people and kept them over for the night."

"So...like a sleepover?" Nik questions.

"Just like a sleepover," Elijah chuckles, placing their bags down.

Before Elijah can right himself, there's a flash of color before him and Nik. The eldest Original feels Nik rush behind him, the little girl clinging to his legs for dear life.

Elijah huffs. "You could not scare the girl when we've only first arrived, brother." He watches Klaus break out into a devilish grin, his blue hues- his daughter's eyes- staring back at them.

"Only a bit of fun," Klaus replies, grinning darkly. He leans a bit, trying to capture Nik who looks shyly from behind Elijah's legs. "So, this is the girl you rambled on about. You know, there are a lot of people with blond hair and blue eyes. That harlot could have easily lied. There's no possibility that this _runt_ could be mine."

Elijah's eyes darken. " _Niklaus._ For one moment, can you stop being rude?" He takes Nik's hand, gently pulling her from behind his legs. "Go on, darling- introduce yourself."

Nik gulps, a tremor shaking her form. "I'm Rebekah, but my mom called me Nik a lot. It's short for Nikol."

"Nik," Klaus says, as if he were testing the name out on his tongue. "They called me Nik when I was a boy… Elijah still does when he feels sentimental." He kneels down before Nik, inspecting her like one would an animal. "Tell me, Nik: what happened to your mother?"

"She died in a car crash," Nik says, looking crestfallen. "Car flipped over with me and her and David in it. Mama didn't make it."

For a moment, Klaus looks thoughtful. Elijah feels anxious at Klaus' reply, knowing it can go either way with his little brother.

Klaus' eyes narrow into a deathly glare and he stands up. "You should have went with her, then. I have no need for you, you deplorable little monster."

Then, Klaus' last hope at redemption quickly flees the room and Elijah can only see red. When he comes to, Klaus is pinned against a wooden shelf and his hands are wrapped around his throat.

"Do not _ever_ address that child- _your child_ \- in such a way again," Elijah hisses. "She has been through too much for you to bully her as her step-father had."

Klaus shoves him away, sending Elijah stumbling. "I didn't ask for her! I did not ask for a miserable attempt for redemption, because there's nothing to be redeemed. That girl is vermin- something to stand in my way."

"I just want you to be _happy_ , Niklaus. You've been bitter for centuries. That child can be your happiness- she has already become mine," Elijah pleads. All he has ever wanted for his family is to be happy. He wants Klaus to know love again, and love from Nik would be unconditional. For years, Klaus has been obsessed with breaking the curse placed on him by their mother. It's his only drive and Elijah hoped and prayed Nik might have been enough for Klaus to let go of his silly wants and to be happy.

Klaus seizes him by his neck, eyes burning into his. "I will be happy when we have broke this damned curse. That child is little more than something to trip me along the way. Love, grace, mercy- it is all _weakness_ , and I want none of it. So, you can stay here and play house and have the family you want. I want no part of this."

Then, the last thing he remembers is a sickening snap and darkness stretches across his vision.

…

 _Elijah wakes up to crying._

His eyes flutter open and he feels a dull ache in his neck from Klaus having snapped it. He would have pulled himself up by now, but a small body is keeping him from sitting up.

He sees Nik's upper body laying on his chest, her head pressed over his heart. She's crying, hard. Her sobs are almost screams and she has drowned his suit jacket in tears. Her tiny hands have taken fistfuls of his jacket, holding him tightly as though her touch might have brought him back to life.

"Nik," Elijah cooes softly. He pushes himself up, reaching for Nik who flings herself into his arms. Her head finds a home in the crook of Elijah's neck and her wiry arms wrap around him, holding him tightly. "Nik, I am right here. It's over- I am here."

"I thought you were dead!" Nik wails, sobbing so hard that she sends herself into a fit of coughs. It is hard to tell what Klaus done to her during the time Elijah was rendered unconscious. Klaus could have done anything to Nik ranging from mental trauma to physical torture.

Elijah hushes her, rocking her back and forth. "I know, love; I know. I'm right here, though." He rubs soothing circles into Nik's back, hoping to calm her sobs and stop the tears. He hates that the poor girl had to hurt even more due to Klaus. "I'm so sorry that this has happened, little love."

"I tried to find a phone to call the amb'lence," Nik cries. She wheezes painfully and holds onto Elijah tighter. "You were dead like Mama was and you were cold! K-Klaus told m-me to shut up 'cause you'd be b-back and l-left me here!"

Elijah makes a shushing noise into Nik's hair. "I'm sorry, Nik. It's over now. I know you were frightened and you were left alone, but you shouldn't be afraid anymore. It is over."

"I d-didn't want you to leave me." Nik's body shakes with another round of sobs and Elijah holds her through them, shushing her as she shakes.

"I know, but I am well," Elijah whispers. "I will never leave you, Nik. What happend was only temporary and won't happen again." Elijah cannot imagine the horror she went through at seeing his body. She's still much too little to understand what the limits of a vampire's body is and how they recover. Heavens, she barely knows what she is herself.

After a few moments, Elijah carefully pushes the shaking girl away. Her eyes are puffy from crying and her cheeks are tear stained. She's still sobbing and tears pour down her reddend cheeks. Elijah wipes her face with a handkerchief from his pocket and smoothes her hair, clenching his jaw lest he begin to cry, too.

"I apologize that this has happened, Nikol," Elijah begins. He rubs her back, hoping to bring her some comfort. "I thought that Klaus would accept you and for a moment, I began to think he would. His words were hurtful and hateful, and he had no right to speak to you in such a manner. He is lucky to have such a girl like you, even though he has proven himself unworthy of you. It matters not what he thinks, Nik. We will do just fine together, don't you think?"

Nik gives Elijah a watery smile. She sniffles and Elijah hands over the linen handkerchief so she can blow her nose. "Y-yeah."

Elijah brings the girl close, pressing a kiss to her forehead and he hugs her as tightly as he can without causing her harm. "Your father may not want you, but I want you."

Nik hugs him back, dropping her head on his shoulder. Her voice barely carries above a whisper. "I wish you were my daddy."

"I know, little one. I wish I were, too," Elijah answers back, perfectly content with holding her in the floor than anywhere else at the moment.

 _I want you, Always and Forever_


	2. Chapter 2

**C.2: The Devil Went Down To New Orleans**

 **Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read, review, favorite, and follow my story! It definitely inspires me to write more and seeing reviews is a huge thing for me. They are a thing of motivation and inspiration to me!**

 **I can only hope I can continue to write well and give a story everyone enjoys.**

 **Be sure to read and review! Suggestions and comments are always welcome and I can't wait to see what comes!**

* * *

 _~Nik~_

 _Mystic Falls, 2011_

 _She dares not to come downstairs lest she be caught up in the argument happening._

Nik was used to the arguing by now. Klaus didn't stay with them often anymore since he broke his thousand-year-old curse, but when he did, there was a fight more often than not. Most of them were petty quarrels Nik could ignore easily- they were drowned out by her ear buds or she had the time to run away before things got ugly.

Tonight, she woke up during the worst of the fight. First, it was manageable. Then, anxiety swarmed her and she could hardly keep herself still because she picked up on every horrid emotion that everyone was feeling.

" _Can you live a moment without stirring up drama, Niklaus?"_ bellows Elijah. Elijah is by no means a screamer, but once he raises his voice, Nik knows things are getting ready to take a turn for the worst. Klaus screamed all the time, though- it is nothing new for her.

Then, as if to prove he can scream louder, Klaus yells back. " _I won't have my reputation tarnished by a group of petty witches! They will learn to keep my name and my motives out of their mouths!"_ Something hits the floor- Nik assumes that it is a vase of some sort.

" _They are but rumors, brother. Let them die,"_ Elijah begs. " _Haven't we gone through enough?"_

" _I will rest when the rumors are gone. Perhaps even the coven,"_ Klaus huffs. Nik knows that he is smiling like a maniac- well, he already is a maniac.

" _Mark my words: if harm comes upon Nik for this, I'll have your head."_

At that, Klaus laughs. " _All the more reason to cause trouble in the Big Easy."_ Then, the door opens and slams, causing something else to fall to the floor and shatter.

Once Nik is sure Klaus is gone, she begins to venture downstairs. She can hear Elijah and Rebekah muttering to each other, growling hatefully about Klaus. Then, she stops at the top of the stairs, calling down to her aunt and uncle.

"Has His Royal Highness fled the premises?" Nik calls down, rubbing her tired eyes. She knows she won't sleep any tonight because of this domestic dispute.

There's an inelegant snort from Rebekah and a barely contained laugh from Elijah. Then, she sees her uncle appear at the bottom of the staircase and he gives her a sad smile.

"All of that mess woke you up?" Elijah asks, his smile fading and he frowns deeply.

Nik sighs and nods her head. "I woke when I heard glass shattering. I probably would have gone back to sleep, but Klaus had to out-scream you, it seems." Then, she begins to move downstairs and her eyes sweep over the mess in their grand living room- Klaus has destroyed a crystal vase and a picture from the wall has fell to the floor, glass shattered.

It might have hurt less if it weren't a picture of Nik.

"There is glass everywhere," Elijah says, looking at Nik's bare feet. "You shouldn't be walking through here."

Nik rolls her eyes. "It's fine. Just let me go put shoes on and…" She's cut off by Elijah who scoops her up in his arms, carrying her towards the kitchen. "Elijah! I am not a baby!"

"You will always be my baby," Elijah says, carefully depositing her on the kitchen floor. He drops a kiss on her head and points to the small pantry. "Grab me the broom and dustpan, will you? I have to sweep this mess up lest we have to pull glass from your feet."

Nik complies, going to grab the cleaning items to hand them over to her uncle. "It's horrid you have to keep cleaning up after Klaus' messes."

"Sadly, it has been this way for the last thousand years," Elijah sighs, taking the broom and dustpan and he begins to sweep up the glass from the broken vase. "I doubt it will be different for the next thousand, either."

Nik goes to sit down at the table with Rebekah. The blond smiles at her as she sits down and Nik flashes a smile back. She loves her "Aunt Bex" as Rebekah likes to call herself. At first, Nik was unsure how Rebekah would treat her. She was afraid that she'd be like Klaus, but Nik became fast friends with Rebekah who treated her like she had known her all her life.

Rebekah smoothes Nik's hair. "You, my dear, are a _beautiful_ girl. However, you favor Klaus so much I want to punch you."

"That comforts me. I'm so good looking you wish to disfigure my face," Nik says, making Rebekah chuckle.

"You make up for it by behaving like me, though," Rebekah states proudly, wrapping her arms around the younger girl. Nik laughs, curling close to Rebekah and the two Mikaelson girls watch Elijah who works at fixing Klaus' mess.

After a moment, Nik looks at her uncle. "So, what does Klaus have his panties in a twist over?" She thinks back to Klaus breaking his curse just a few months back. That had been quite the fiasco, although she was never told much besides what Elijah would allow and what she overhead during her late night excursions outside her room.

"They are but rumors," Elijah assures. He tucks away the broom and dustpan after disposing of the glass shards. "He has heard of witches from New Orleans seeking to ruin him. Then, Klaus being Klaus, has gone down to discern said rumors and cause hell along the way."

Elijah sits across from her and Rebekah. Nik frowns a little, wringing her hands. "Do you think that Klaus could be getting in over his head with these witches? You'd think he'd know to leave things alone…" Despite Klaus' hatred of her, Nik loves her father. She worships the ground that the man walks on and she hates to admit it. His treatment is far from fair, but Nik finds herself wishing that Klaus would dote on her and love her.

"Your father's actions are beyond reason," Elijah says knowingly. "He has never done anything rationally or logically."

Nik nods understandingly even though this is nothing new. Then, she looks up to Elijah. "Do you plan on going after Klaus should something happen?"

"I think it's time your father learn to clean up his own mess," Elijah answers. Nik notes that even though he is forever youthful, her uncle has something about him that is tired and worn from his years on this earth. His shoulders are slumped and his eyes aren't at joyful as she remembers them.

He's tired of Klaus' antics.

He's simply tired.

Elijah looks at her and smiles. "Your father has made many mistakes the last millennia. You, however, aren't one of them." He squeezes her hand and stands, pulling her up. "You do not worry after him. You are a child, Nikol. Now, you should get back to bed, little one. It is late and we have plenty of schoolwork to do tomorrow."

"Joy. I cannot wait to learn about _Mozart_."

"Your lack of enthusiasm concerns me," Elijah says, but his smile is poorly hidden. Then, he kisses her hair and points to the stairs. "To bed with you."

Nik chuckles. "Goodnight, Elijah. 'Night, Aunt Bex."

"Goodnight!" the two Originals chorus and Nik disappears up the grand staircase, traveling towards her bedroom where she drops onto the bed, not bothering with the covers as she drifts off to sleep.

…

 _~One Week Later~_

" _So, what happened to allowing Klaus 'Solve His Own Problems?'"_

Nik sits on Elijah's bed, watching as he packs a small bag of clothes. As he does this, Elijah looks up at her and he narrows his eyes. "I don't need you mocking me. Your father continues surprising me with the amount of trouble he keeps finding himself in."

"Well, let him put on his big-boy pants and solve this himself," Nik says, anxiousness filling her. She has never been away from Elijah in her life and this trip seems to terrify her more that it it becoming a reality. "You can't leave me here by myself."

"That's why you are coming with me," Elijah says.

Nik grins widely. "Really?" She has been to New Orleans a few times with Elijah when she was little, but she hardly remembers their trips except for a few details.

"Really," Elijah says with a smile. "As much as I love Rebekah, she knows nothing of child rearing and we have powerful enemies I'd rather not take a chance on showing up during my absence."

"Aunt Bex could stab their eyes out with heels."

Elijah snorts inelegantly. He folds a shirt and placed it in his bag, laughing softly at Nik. "She will be too busy buying them. She plans on going on a trip to New York for a few weeks. That leaves you to me and we will stay in New Orleans a few days...a week at the most."

"And what will I do during this trip? I will not play as 'Klaus-Bait,'" Nik comments.

"You will stay at the plantation house and _behave_. You're very well behaved, but I cannot have you out and running about," Elijah answers. "With that being said, pack a bag for the week and we will be off. Bring something for the trip."

Nik smiles and nods, rising to her feet after she edges off of Elijah's bed. She goes to her room and rummages through her closet where she finds her travel bag that will easily accommodate a week's worth of outfits. She'd pack less, but she knows that her father has never done anything easy. The man is difficult to talk to and sometimes, it is like speaking to a wall. No one ever gets through to the man and Klaus goes on his merry way, destroying everything in his way.

Once she had collected a week's worth of clothing and some toiletries, Nik scouts out some items for her trip- books and her phone for music. No matter how much she loves her uncle, she will not tolerate classical music and jazz down to New Orleans. Similarly, Elijah hates her music- she strongly prefers upbeat music and rock amongst other things.

Everything packed neatly in her bag, Nik pads down the hall to her uncle's room where he neatly lays out his suits in a protective covering and Nik raises an eyebrow.

"Do you really need to bring _suits?"_ Nik asks, setting her bag down. "Be normal for once- jeans never killed anyone."

"One _always_ dresses for the occasion," Elijah replies with a chuckle, bending to grab a second pair of shoes to go with his suits.

Nik laughs softly, crossing her arms over her chest. She leans in the doorway, looking down to the floor a moment and her face falls. Then, she looks up to Elijah and gives him a look. "Do you think he'll prove to be a challenge?"

Elijah sighs softly. "Your father never does anything simple. He could have already slaughtered the entire coven of witches for all we know. He will return home one way or another, though."

"I wonder why I still love him sometimes," Nik comments, voice quiet. She loves Klaus dearly even though he keeps wronging her over and over again. Nik cannot recall the several moment of neglect when she was little- he left her alone on numerous accounts; he threatened to send her back to her stepfather; hell, there was a few times he told her was going to eat her.

Elijah gives a sad smile. "He's your father, little one. All children love their parents despite their mistakes. Even though my father has done the unspeakable to our family, I still love him. I still love my mother although she cursed us to roam the earth forever."

Nik smiles back a little. She watches as Elijah walks over and he kisses her head, smoothing her blond curls. "It is not bad to love your father, Nikol." Then, Elijah cups her cheek and smiles softly. "He, someday soon, will love you as well. Klaus is a difficult man, but everyone breaks. Now, that being said, gather your things and head towards the car. Be sure to kiss your aunt goodbye, too."

Nik nods and sighs, not looking forward to the game of cat and mouse that will be played with Klaus. She bends down to grab her bag and starts towards the car, but not before venturing to Rebekah's room to give the woman a goodbye.

"Is Elijah dragging you Klaus hunting?" Rebekah questions as Nik enters her room. Rebekah is perched on her bed, scrolling through her phone that she hasn't quite learned how to work yet.

"Unfortunately so. I'd much rather go with you to New York," Nik says, giving her aunt a desperate look.

Rebekah laughs. "It's just for two weeks. Being trapped in a coffin for ninety years puts a woman behind the times." Rebekah stands from her bed and brings Nik into a hug. "You're going to be okay, Nik. Elijah surely has something planned for you two after this horrid trip to make up for Klaus' attitude

"One can only hope," Nik says as she hugs Rebekah back. "I'll call you when we're in the city. I love you, Aunt Bex."

"I love you, too, Nik. Be safe and have fun. Guilt Elijah into buying clothes so we can match outfits," Rebekah says, kissing Nik's cheek before the girl breaks away from her aunt.

Then, Nik is off down the stairs and to the car where Elijah waits, his items placed neatly in the trunk. Nik hands her bag over to Elijah who places it in the trunk and he speeds around the car to open her door a moment later.

Elijah gives her a twisted smile. "Ready for our Mikaelson Family Vacation, little one?"

Nik rolls her eyes. She sits down in the passenger's seat, going to buckle her seatbelt. "If you want a vacation, let's leave Klaus in New Orleans and go to the Caribbean."

"We'll do something special while in New Orleans- that I promise." With that, Elijah closes Nik's door and the teen crosses her arms, worried about their trip to New Orleans


	3. Chapter 3

**C.3: The Witching Hour**

 **There's nothing to say here...except that you guys are extraordinarily amazing! Nothing pleases me more than to see everyone's reviews and to know that you all like it! I can only hope I can keep receiving such excellent feedback as this story progresses.**

 **Also, to address a few things some of you asked of me:**

 **There will definitely be some Elijah/Nik interactions as we go and we will look back on some more tender-hearted moments with Nik and Klaus. Even though Klaus could contend with Satan himself, he's gotta give at some point.**

 **Nik will meet Kol in later chapters. My take on the first season is totally warped compared to how it would have followed as a companion to the original.**

 **I hope everyone can enjoy it!**

* * *

 _~Nik~_

 _She wakes a few hours later at Elijah's insistence._

The teenager huffs, opening her eyes as she squints at the morning sun. She slept a few hours after their last rest stop somewhere in Alabama, the car having lulled her to sleep as it had when she was a small child.

She scans the area around her, noting that they are in front of a huge house Elijah has only ever referred to as the Plantation House. She learned stories about the house from Elijah and stayed in it a few times when she was little, though she hardly remembers it. The house is pristine white on the outside and has red, brick steps leading up the porch and to the front door. The sidewalk is the same brick all the way out until the driveway, turning into black pavement.

Then, Nik looks over to Elijah who smiles. "Rest well, Sleeping Beauty?"

"Very well," Nik comments, stretching her body out. She yawns and reaches up to rub her eyes, letting out a long sigh. "You're just too boring to put up with, Elijah."

Elijah hits her arm playfully. "You're not a joy to travel with, either. I heard your dreadful _pop music_ coming through your headphones on the trip down here."

"Adam Levine is better than _Bach_ and _Mozart_ ," Nik says in an almost sing-song voice.

"Out of my vehicle," Elijah says teasingly. Nik laughs and clambers out of the car and goes to the back where Elijah had already lifted the trunk. She grabs her bag and hangs it over her shoulder, grabbing Elijah's own bag and the garment bag for his suits.

Elijah meets her, taking his bags and Nik closes the trunk. The duo walks inside and Nik frowns slightly at the heat- another bad thing about these ancient houses. _No air conditioning._

Nik looks up at her uncle. "With all of the work you put into this place, you don't have air conditioning?" She looks around the house, noting that most everything is covered in a thick layer of dust.

"It keeps up with the integrity of the home," Elijah says. "You know, hundreds of years ago, we had no such thing as _air conditioning_. We had to tolerate the heat and you can imagine how unbearable it was here in New Orleans."

Nik makes a face. She'd hate to have lived without modern technology- especially indoor plumbing and electricity. "It's sweltering outside. I could not imagine corsets and long sleeves and waist coats… It seems absolutely _miserable."_

"Right you are," Elijah says, motioning to the stairs. "Now, let's find our rooms so we can get settled. Then, should you want, we can go out for breakfast. Do you remember the restaurant in the Quarter that prepares crêpes?"

"The one where I doused myself in chocolate syrup from my crêpe?"

"That's the one," Elijah laughs, following behind Nik as she pads towards the stairs.

Nik takes the lead up the staircase. She recalls running up and down them as a little girl- and she remembers Elijah scolding her for doing that very thing. At the top, she looks over the several rooms in the house. Her hazy memory leads her down the hall to the very end, to the last room on the left. She opens the door and takes in the sight- a large, four poster bed sits against the farthest wall, positioned in the middle. It has lavender bed sheets and pillows to match. The curtains are open, letting light into the room.

Elijah steps into the room behind Nik. His brown eyes scan the room and he smiles fondly. "When you were little, this room was so big in comparison to you. I feared I'd lose you in here- not that anything has changed. You would play in here for hours."

"I remember I had a doll house and a crib for my toys," Nik replies, smiling softly.

"How things change… I wish you were small again," Elijah says, his eyes seeming to fade years back when Nik was small and relied on him for everything.

"No, you don't. I was a tiny, controlling tyrant," Nik laughs, smiling up at her uncle.

"You were little. You were hardly demanding," Elijah says, nudging Nik teasingly. "Now, get settled. Freshen up after so we may go out for breakfast."

Nik nods. "Yes, Elijah." Then, she watches as Elijah leaves the room in search of his own room. Left to her own devices, Nik begins to place her things away and grabs things from her bag of toiletries to wash her face with and to brush her teeth after the trip down.

Going to the in-suite bathroom, Nik tames her blond hair into a braid and stares at herself in the mirror. She thinks back to what her mother looked like- her mother was brown haired and brown eyed and had tan skin. Her brothers and sister was much the same, except a few of them had their father's grey eyes. Then, there was Nik. She was the spitting image of her father with blond hair and eyes like lightning. There was no denying she was Niklaus Mikaelson's daughter.

Some says it's a blessing- they tell her she's beautiful. To Nik, it's a curse. She favors the man who hates her with everything in his being. Some days, she believes she takes after him personality wise during fits of anger usually directed at Klaus himself.

Huffing, Nik washes her face and brushes her teeth after. She walks downstairs after, waiting on her uncle as she looks quietly around the house she faintly remembers.

Nik is in what resembles Elijah's study at home when there's a knock on the open door, making her turn around. Elijah stands, grinning. "Exploring, I take it?"

"Just taking things in," Nik says, eyeing the room. Most of everything is covered in white sheets from years of unuse. There are a few things exposed- small figurines sitting on the desk and a globe is perched on the shelf with a few dust-covered books.

Elijah chuckles. "Well, let's go get you something to eat. Then, the hunt begins."

Nik raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure Klaus prowls around in broad daylight? Night is usually when he's keen to rip people to shreds and bathe city streets in blood."

Elijah rolls his eyes. "Now you really do sound like your father. You are too morbid."

"Truth hurts," Nik chirps, giving her uncle a teasing smile as he gives her a dark look. "I'm only teasing. Don't look at me that way."

"Alright, Trouble- let's get going," Elijah says, smiling widely at Nik. The teenager falls in step beside her uncle and Elijah winds his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close as they walk out of the house.

…

" _Elijah, I'm not five."_

Nik stares down Elijah who gives her an equally dirty look, sitting quietly on the couch.

Elijah points his finger at her, brows furrowed as he stares. "I won't care when you are _fifty_. Repeat what I said back to me." Elijah had laid out rules for Nik to follow, and Nik knows to follow them. She has never been in true trouble with Elijah at any point in life. There has obviously been a few scoldings, but Nik never done anything to make Elijah truly angry.

"I am not to leave this house under any circumstances. I am not allow anyone in the house until you yourself return home," Nik echos, sprawling out on the couch. Elijah wants her to stay holed up in the house why he goes about the Quarter on his Klaus-Hunt.

"Thank you," Elijah says. "Behave while I am away. Read your books or you may wander the house, and be sure to go to bed at a decent hour."

Nik smiles. "Yes, Elijah."

Elijah chuckles. He bends over Nik and kisses her head, smoothing her blond curls. "I will see you later, sweet girl. It may be late before I am home- you know how difficult Klaus is."

"Be safe," Nik whispers.

"Always, little one," Elijah says. Then, Nik watches as he stands and starts for the door. After a final goodbye, Nik is left on her own for what she believes will be most of the night.

The first hour, Nik reads her book- a copy of _Frankenstein_ that is much older than herself. She tolerates it for a little while until sitting still becomes unbearable and she begins to wander the house when her second hour rolls around.

She finds herself in the study where she had been earlier. With the light on, she pulls the white sheets from the covered furniture and finds chairs and a chest dated back way beyond her years.

The chest is mahogany and has a lock on the front of it. She vaguely recalls asking Elijah if there was treasure in this very chest when she was eight years old, but the Original brushed it off and called her to play elsewhere.

Drawing one of the old chairs, Nik sits down and looks at the chest. She takes the lock in her hand, wondering where a key could be. _Knowing Elijah, they're probably at the bottom of the ocean where no one can find them,_ Nik thinks. Her uncle is very secretive and doesn't reveal much to Nik of things happening outside of her very secluded life.

So, the teenager closes her eyes a summons forth a small surge of power. She never used magic often- mostly to keep herself entertained when she was bored and used it under Elijah's supervision.

Nik feels a tingle run through her fingers. She feels the lock give and the thirteen year old lets it fall to the floor, opening the chest to see the inside piled high with trinkets and journals.

"Seems Elijah wasn't lying about there being treasure," Nik says aloud, rummaging through the old chest with care. The items in here are undoubtedly old and needed to be handled with care- inside is jewelry that comes in forms of rings and necklaces. There are necklaces that must have belonged to Rebekah and rings with a golden, intricate _KM_ inscribed into the band of the ring that could have belonged to either her uncle, Kol, or her father.

After sifting through the jewelry, Nik begins to look through the journals and finds several belonging to Elijah. They date back centuries and she excitedly reads them, but takes care with what she reads.

" _There are things of my past you are better off not knowing, Nikol. Take care in what you look at."_

She finds a journal dating back during the 1820s and she skims the first few pages until she finds a page dating _September 20, 1824._

 _So it seems that my brother may have a heart. Niklaus brought home with him a boy, whom he affectionately calls Marcellus- the son of the Governor of Louisiana, whose eldest son my brother has murdered. The boy idolizes Niklaus, incorporating the man's behavior into his own. I can only hope that Marcellus gives Niklaus his heart back...it has been void of love for many years. Perhaps the joy and laughter of a child can spark something softer in my younger brother- kindness and compassion._

 _Maybe even love._

Nik frowns deeply. _Who was Marcellus to this family?_ The way Elijah spoke of the boy, he was a son. A nephew. A friend. Growing up, Elijah never spoke of anyone named Marcellus and Rebekah did not mention him during her time with with Nik.

 _Another great mystery of the Mikaelson family,_ Nik decides as she continues to read on. Aside from the enigma of Marcellus, Nik learns of many more family secrets by way of reading Elijah's journals.

The sky is just beginning to darken as Nik finishes the journal. Her blue hues drift towards the window to see that the sky is slowly turning black from blue, suspending the Quarter into darkness. Then, Nik begins to silently go through the house to turn the lights on, hating to sit in the dark. The darkness has been one of her greatest fears all her life and she still struggles with it, even though she doesn't want to admit it.

As she nears the living room to turn the light on, Nik begins to feel uneasy. The feeling rises in her stomach and spreads through her body. Her hair stands on end and goosebumps rise on her arms. She feels as though she's being watched- as if someone is following her. She's even paranoid to the point of seeing shadows crossing from her peripherals.

 _Stop scaring yourself,_ Nik scowls as she reaches to turn the light on. She looks around the room in bated breath as if something might attack her. Releasing a breath of relief, the teen turns around to go back to the study to resume her reading.

Then, something covers her mouth and there's a sharp pain in her head.

The last thing she remembers is darkness.

…

 _Nik feels someone prodding her gently._

" _Hey, kid! Oh, God- you're dead, aren't you? Hey!"_

Nik opens her eyes, her vision hazy as she begins to come to. Her head hurts and something sticky costs her face and hair. A low grown escapes her and she hears a sigh of relief from someone she doesn't recognize.

Kneeling over top of her is a young woman- she might be around her Aunt Bex's age. All Nik can make out is brown hair and green eyes staring down at her, the woman's face a mask of worry.

Nik frowns. "What the hell happened?"

"Well, you've been laying here for forty minutes. Those two bitches- I'm sorry, _witches_ \- dumped you in here like a sack of potatoes. You're bleeding a little, but not too bad like you were earlier." The woman gives her a sad smile and Nik muster the courtesy to return the gesture. Instead, she sits up and she immediately regrets the action because her stomach falls and she feels sick. "I'm Hayley, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, I guess. I'm Nik," Nik says, her eyes adjusting to the dimness of wherever she has been thrown. Candles are lit, providing a little light to her. "So, where are we? I feel like we're trapped in a serial killer movie."

"It's a graveyard. They've had me stuck in this mausoleum for what feels like an eternity now," Hayley says, looking around the tiny space they've been enclosed in.

Nik snorts inelegantly. "Yep, this definitely sends off serial killer vibes." She massages her aching temples and groans.

Moments later, Nik sees a woman walk through the mausoleum entrance. She has dark skin with dark, curly hair tied back from her eyes with a hair band. She looks to be at least in her forties or fifties judging by her feathers. Nik staggers to her feet, not wishing to look weak in front of her captors.

"You hardly look like a serial killer," Nik says, using her sleeve to dry the blood tricking into her eye. "You're too old be be hauling axes and dead bodies."

The woman gives Nik a pointed look. "I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you, little girl. You have no room to speak out of turn here."

"Instead of all this chit-chat, I implore to know why I am here," Nik retorts, staring the woman down.

"You're here to give Klaus Mikaelson some extra incentive to help my Coven." She gives Nik a twisted smile and Nik frowns. "Hayley over there is pregnant, but Klaus won't care about her or the baby. We figured you might be the leverage we need."

From next to Nik, there's an outburst from Hayley. "You're meaning to tell me that Klaus has another kid? _She_ belongs to him?"

Nik huffs. "It's unfortunate, I know. I'll explain to you later. However, what makes you think my father will do anything to help me or that woman and her baby? He's wished me dead for _years_."

"Well, he better have a sudden change of heart or you're well on your way to a dirt nap," the elder witch chirps. "I'm Agnes, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Nik grits her teeth. "I'm not in the mood, lady. Wait until my uncle finds you guys. Your coven will be in ruin."

Agnes just grins and begins to exit the mausoleum. "We'll see about that. You'd better get comfortable- you'll be here a while." Then, she's gone and Nik is left shaking in anger, her blood boiling in her veins.

Nik feels a hand on her shoulders and she whirls around to see Hayley staring at her with wide eyes. "Umm..kid- your hands are _glowing_. And is it normal for your eyes to turn yellow? Hell, _what are you?"_

Nik looks to Hayley and turns her head towards the around again. She counts in her head silently, willing herself to calm down because she knows that her temper will only make the situation worse.

"I apologize," Nik says. "I take on Klaus' temper, it seems. I'll...I'll answer any question you have to the best of my ability."

"Okay. Just...come over here and sit down so you don't pass out."

With that, Nik lets Hayley walk her back to a small tomb that once held a coffin inside. The two girls sit side by side, falling silent a moment until Hayley breaks the silence.

"You said anything, right?" Hayley asks worriedly.

Nik nods, drawing her knees to her chest. "Anything you want, Hayley."

"Good. Can you tell me a little about Klaus first?"

" _I really don't want to, but whatever floats your boat."_


	4. Chapter 4

**C.4: The Devil's Daughter**

 **Once again, thanks to everyone who took the time to read and review this story! All of them were very inspiring and gave me tons of motivation for this chapter!**

 **Also, I wish to apologize for the size of this chapter. I typed a little more than originally planned, but wanted to cover The Original's first episode in all its entirety. Besides, after this, we begin to drift away from the original story plot of the first season. It will cling to it a little until we have brought Elijah back, but I have something bigger and badder than the French Quarter Coven for the Mikaelson family to contend with.**

 **Everyone please favorite, follow, and press that lovely little review button at the bottom of the screen!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _They sit in the mausoleum close to an hour before two witches enter._

Nik's eyes flicker towards the two witches from her place propped against the wall. She head no longer swims as badly as it had some time ago and her frazzled nerves have calmed since she began talking to Hayley.

"I hope you aren't as mean as She-Demon who came in here the first time," Nik grumbles, rubbing her tired eyes.

One of the witches sighs. "I'll be nice, but you have to agree to cooperate. That means no...doing whatever Agnes said you did with the yellow eyes and glowing hands."

Nik only nods. "I can only try. So, where are we going?" The youngest Mikaelson rises to her feet, blinking to clear the haze in her vision due to being hit in the head. "Are we being chained up in a tomb? Buried alive? Tortured with hexes?"

One of the witches laughs. "Just hush, girl. We have someone who will be very pleased to see you."

Nik feels her heart skip a beat and she thinks of Elijah. Has he come to save them? With that, Nik motions Hayley forward and they walk out of the mausoleum behind the two witches who lead them through the graveyard.

As they walk, Hayley looks down at her. "Do you know what this is all about? If it's that maniac you call your father, I have a few choice words for him."

Nik nearly bursts out into laughter. "Well, you can get in line right behind me. I have eight years worth of pain and suffering to pay this man back for." In the distance, she sees the one person who can save the day, no matter what. _Elijah_. Nik begins to walk a little faster, racing to meet Elijah without looking overly excited to see the man.

Once she's a few feet away, Elijah walks towards Nik and sweeps her up into his arms. Nik locks her arms around her uncle, head hidden in the crook of his neck. "Oh, my little one. Are you okay, Nik? You are well?"

Nik nods into Elijah's shoulder. Tears sting at her eyes and she buries her head a little deeper into Elijah's shirt. "I'm good, 'Lijah." She hears her voice begin to break and Elijah holds her tighter, offering silent encouragement for her to be strong.

Elijah presses a kiss against Nik's hair despite it being bloody. His eyes burn darkly because the witches hurt Nik, but he doesn't say anything lest the witches do something more. Then, Nik is released from Elijah and she's pulled back by the gaggle of witches.

"What is the meaning of this?" Elijah asks, his dark eyes drifting over the witches. Then, they snap to another witch next to him whom he seems familiar with. "Is there a particular reason why my niece has been incarcerated amongst a group of witches who have nothing to do with her?"

"Before, we thought Klaus might have come here willingly and things could have been settled. However, we decided that some... _collateral_ was needed to ensure our deal," states the with next to Elijah.

"What deal? I will not agree to anything without first knowing who the woman is and why my brother is involved in this mess," Elijah states firmly.

"It seems your brother is quite the romantic and he spent some time with this girl. Now, this special werewolf girl is going to have his baby."

Nik watches as Elijah's mouth drops open. He'd almost never believe it, but Nik is living proof that Klaus can have children. Nik could hardly believe it herself, but here she is, awaiting a sibling she fears will never be born.

Nothing is impossible with Klaus Mikaelson.

Next to Nik, Hayley pipes up. "Who the _hell_ are you." The young woman glares daggers at Elijah and Nik assumes that Hayley is tired of Original Vampires and shenanigans from witches. Personally, Nik is, too.

Elijah gives a sad smile. "It believe it's best to talk to her. May I have a moment alone with the girls?"

The witches relent and Elijah leads them back to the mausoleum. Nik tightly grips her uncle's hand and she feels the warmth of safety envelop her. Once they're out of the witches' earshot, her eyes drift up to Elijah. "Who are these witches, Elijah?"

"They are a coven belonging to the French Quarter," Elijah says, squeezing Nik's hand softly. "It seems that these witches have ulterior motives than just insuring they have Klaus' attention by you and the girl."

"What kind of ulterior motives? What is so... _important_ that we're being kept as a sort of insurance?" Nik gives her ashen uncle a look and the Orginal only shakes his head.

Elijah leads them into the mausoleum. Nik watches as Hayley goes back to sit down, looking bewildered by the entire situation. Then, her attention is captured back by Elijah who cups her face in his hands. "You need not worry about it, my little one. For now, you should try to sit down and rest to allow your head wound to heal."

Nik gives her uncle a lopsided smile and nods her head. Elijah return the smile and brushes Nik's cheek with the back of his hand before returning to Hayley.

"So they have held you two against your will?" Elijah asks as he sits down on the burial mound next to Hayley. His brown eyes are as careful and thoughtful as ever.

Hayley huffs and nods, massaging her forehead. "They lured me out to the bayou and grabbed me. And they did all of these...witchy tests. Then, they threw Nik in here like a rag doll and I thought that she was dead. And...how could any of this happen? Vampires don't have children."

Elijah chuckles dryly. "Well, you have your proof. Nik is in the room with us and you are carrying a little life inside you."

There's a slight pause and Nik meets Hayley's gaze across the room. Hayley looks the teenager over carefully, her eyes calculating. "For Klaus' daughter, Nik's pretty well behaved."

"She may be Klaus' child, but I raised her. I taught her mercy and grace and kindness. She's everything Klaus isn't- everything that he was," Elijah says, offering Nik a small smile and the teen returns it. "And...for you to know a bit more about Niklaus and how these children are possible- if I may."

Nik watches as Elijah lays his hand on Hayley's forehead. She watches in interest as their eyes drift closed, Elijah's voice drifting through the tomb.

" _In the beginning, our family was human. A thousand years ago, now."_

…

 _Nik finds herself alone with Hayley again._

Elijah had left earlier to hunt down Klaus at a witch's insistence, whom Nik learned was named Sophie. Nik pretended to sit back with Hayley, but she listened in as Sophie told Elijah about a man named Marcel. _Marcellus_. From what Nik could gather, Marcel was causing quite the row with the Quarter's witches and ruled with an iron fist.

 _Yep, he sounds like Klaus made over,_ Nik decided as she talked with Hayley.

Now, she sits with her back against the cool wall of the mausoleum. Her head has long since stopped bleeding, but her head throbs in time with her heartbeat.

Hayley breaks the awkward silence filling the tomb. She's laying across the burial mound on her back, looking over at Nik. "So, how did you wind up with them?"

"My uncle and father?" Nik releases a shuddering breath, ignoring the rising pain in her head. "Well, I was little. I just turned five, I believe. I had been out with my stepfather and my mother, and we hit a patch of ice on the road. The car flipped down an embankment. It threw my mother from the vehicle."

Hayley frowns deeply. "I...I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't apologize," Nik says softly. She brings her knees to her chest, resting her head against them. "Anyhow, my stepfather called Elijah and to this day neither of us know how he came across his number. He called, pleading for Elijah to take me because I was such a monster. In reality...I was a sick reminder of my mother's infidelity. He might have kept me hadn't it been for the random mirrors shattering and my tantrums that led to my siblings covered in fang marks and blood."

Hayley gives Nik a sad smile. "Well, that guy sounds like a dick."

"He was," Nik chuckles, rubbing her head. "But I don't wanna talk about it anymore. It's already depressing enough I'm being uselessly held as an insurance claim against my father, and it is even worse knowing he doesn't care."

Hayley gives Nik a look. "So, how bad is Klaus? He didn't do great with you as a kid?"

"I was playing in the floor and he crushed my toys. Then, I cried and he said he'd eat me if I didn't shut my trap," Nik says bitterly. "Maybe he'll like this child better… He can mold it into whatever he sees fit."

Hayley opens her mouth to speak, but never get to as one of the witches, Sabine, walks into the tomb.

"You ladies have company. I suggest you make it snappy- the Hybrid is getting antsy," Sabine announces, gesturing towards the front of the cemetery.

Nik gives Sabine a look. "Can't you just kill me?"

Sabine struggles not to smile, but she does anyways. "I really like you, kid. Seriously, though- let's go."

Nik rises to her feet and waits until Hayley is next to her. The two girls walk behind Sabine, looking nervously at each other. Nik knows that this probably will all go downhill the moment Klaus learns about the baby and he'll throw one of his temper tantrums.

Their walk ends and they are at the front of the cemetery. In front of them stands Klaus, Elijah standing next to him. The Original Hybrid looks towards Nik, smiling a wicked smile.

"What have we here, love?" Klaus says in a mocking tone. "You look horrid."

Nik gives a tight-lipped smile. "Such a shame. I look like you as well- which makes you equally as horrid. At least my mother helped me to negate your bad looks."

Klaus eyes narrow and Nik hears Elijah give a cough. Her blue eyes look over to her uncle and Elijah glares sternly. " _Rebekah Nikol."_

Nik holds her hands up in defeat, then dropping them and looking over to her uncle who gives her an appreciative smile. She would have returned the smile, but Klaus' presence seems to put her in a mood worse than what she has already been thrown into.

Klaus makes a sound, eyes locked on Sophie. "So, what have you brought me here for? I clearly see my bastard child there, but what about the other?"

Nik clenches her jaw. She feels like someone has hit her in the chest because it constricts and her heart drops. She already knows she shouldn't expect love and affection from her father- it's hopeless.

Sophie gives Klaus a terse smile. "It seems Hayley is pregnant with your child. Now, this process can go either way you want it…"

"Wait...wait a moment. You are telling me that this girl is carrying _my_ child?" Klaus eyes cut to Hayley's nearly shaking form. Then, just as Nik expected, Klaus' eyes blaze with fury and his voice bellows through the cemetery. "You've been with someone else, admit it!"

"I've spent _days_ held captive in a freaking _alligator bayou_ because they think I'm carrying some magical miracle baby! Don't you think I would have fessed up if it wasn't yours?" Hayley's voice rivals Klaus' own and Nik can see the gears turning in this woman's head.

The tension in the air is so tight that one could cut it with a knife. Nik looks back and forth between the glaring werewolf girl and her murderous father, wondering what will become of the situation.

Then, the silence is broken by Sophie who stares down Klaus in anger. "My sister gave her life to perform the spell needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. We can save them. Or we can kill them. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't see her first maternity dress and your oldest will find herself strung up in the tombs where we'll strip her of magic and let her die, too."

Nik's heart clenches and she looks to Elijah who looks as horrified as her. _I don't wanna die_. "Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself."

"No. We can't...not yet. We have a clear plan we need to follow and there are rules," Sophie comments.

Nik closes her eyes, struggling to block her shattering world out. She focuses on something- _anything-_ other than her father's droning and the witches' babbling. Then, she hears a sound amongst all the noise she hasn't heard before. A heartbeat, small and fast. Nik's eyes flit next to her where Hayley stands, looking at her stomach and Nik smile the ghost of a smile.

 _Hello, little one,_ Nik thinks. Then, she looks up at Klaus who has launched himself into a fit. " _Klaus."_ Her voice, though, is drowned out by the man's screaming. Maybe _,_ just _maybe,_ if he heard the baby's heartbeat, he'd be willing to listen. To cooperate.

"How _dare_ you command me, _threaten_ me, with what you wrongfully perceive as my weakness!" Klaus roars at the witches, looking hatefully between Hayley and Nik. "This is a pathetic attempt at…"

"Would you stop with your needless monologue and _shut up,_ Klaus?" Nik roars, not caring that all eyes have landed on her. The cemetery is totally silent save for breathing and heartbeats.

She gives her father a hard look, but her expression falls soft. " _Listen."_

Nik watches as Klaus' eyes train on Hayley. He hears the baby- he _wants it_. Nik knows that she's too late to be the redemption her father seeks, but this child could be what saves him. This baby could teach him the meaning of Always and Forever.

Then, Klaus' expression turns dark. "Kill the girl and the children. What do I care?" Nik watches in despair as Klaus speeds off into the night, leaving her heartbroken and horrified.

 _He has left her to die._

"Screw this! I'm out of here!" Hayley shouts angrily, stomping towards the mausoleum.

Nik looks to her uncle and she can see Elijah is horrified. He's breathing heavy, looking desperate and just a little hopeless. "No one touches the girl. And _please_ , don't hurt my child. I'll fix this." Elijah looks to Nik and he nods. "Just be strong, Nik. Just a little while longer."

Nik nods, trying the keep the tears at bay. She sniffles slightly and doesn't protest as a witch pulls her back, leading her back to her temporary place of captivity.

 _I don't think I can be strong,_ Nik thinks as she's herded back into the mausoleum, taking a seat on the far side of the room away from Hayley.

 _She just wants this to be over_.

…

 _Nearly three hours have passed since Elijah left to remedy their dire situation_.

Nik lays on the floor while Hayley took to laying on the burial mound. Her head is cradled on her forearm, her body exhausted but her mind races a mile-a-minute.

"Nik?" Hayley whispers into the dimly-lit darkness of the mausoleum. "Are you sleeping?"

Nik makes a sound of opposition. "No. Is something bothering you besides the obvious?"

"Well, there's the fact that possible death looms over our heads. That's _always_ a good time," Hayley huffs. Nik watches as she shifts so she's on her side, looking down at her. "Then there's the fact that your dad is the biggest asshole walking on the face of the earth."

Nik chuckles darkly. "Right you are. He's been the bane of my existence since I met him. I just never expected him to do... _this_."

There's a moment of silence and Hayley smiles sadly down at Nik. "You love your dad, don't you?"

Nik nods and tears fall from her eyes. "Yeah, and I wish I didn't. I wish I was like him and didn't give a damn about anyone or anything." She wipes her eyes and releases a shuddering breath, laying her head back down miserably.

Hayley extends her hand down to Nik. Nik reaches up and takes the brunette's hand, allowing her to squeeze her fingers. "It's what makes you different- makes you better than him. And the world needs more people like you in it, kid."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's working," Nik says with a barely suppressed smile, chucking weakly.

"If we're going to be together from now on, I can't have you being depressed all the time. All of that doom and gloom hurts the baby," Hayley says, laughing softly.

Nik rolls her eyes and snorts inelegantly, but she laughs along with Hayley. "You're so full of crap you could pass for a toilet." She smiles up at the werewolf, squeezing her hand before letting go.

"Now try to go to sleep. If you're anything like Klaus when you're cranky, I'll kick your ass," Hayley states, rolling to her other side with her back to Nik.

"Yes, Mother," Nik yawns, snickering at Hayley's half-hearted growl.

…

 _She's shaken awake by gentle hands._

Nik rockets forwards, a scream caught in her throat. Hands grip her shoulders and a soothing voice reaches her ears, whispering sweet things.

"Elijah?" Nik croaks, her head pounding. Her blurry vision clears and she stares up at her uncle. She immediately feels at ease once she sees his gentle smile and she slumps against him, her wiry arms wrapping around him.

Elijah hugs her close, pressing a long kiss on Nik's forehead. "My sweet girl. How are you feeling?"

"I'm so stiff from laying on the ground that Rigor Mortis could be setting in," Nik grumbles, her voice muffled by his suit jacket.

Elijah chuckles softly. "Then I suggest we get you out of here and cleaned up and off to bed. You are all bloody and have quite the bump on your head." Elijah stands and brings Nik with him. She clutches her uncle tightly- not out of any pain or dizziness, but because she missed him. "Are you feeling unwell, Nikol?"

Nik shakes her head. She hugs him tightly, head on his chest. "I just missed you, Elijah."

"I missed you, too, darling," Elijah says, smoothing Nik's blood-matted hair. Then, Elijah gently pushes her back and he smiles. "Let's get you home."

Nik nods eagerly, taking Elijah's hand as they walk out the mausoleum. She takes in the morning sky, noting that the sun is just coming up. The horizon is an explosion of colors- shades of pink and green and gold.

Before Nik realizes it, they have passed the gates of the cemetery. Her blue hues snap towards her uncle's black car where she sees Hayley already inside, but Klaus stands outside the vehicle, smiling his usually wicked smile.

"Good morning, Nik," Klaus chirps, playing with the keys to the car by twirling them on his fingers.

"Good morning," Nik mumbles, snaking around her father so she can open the car door to the back. Before she can reach, Klaus open the door and Nik looks up at him with an accusing glare.

Klaus raises an eyebrow. "Didn't Elijah teach you good manners?"

" _Thank you, Klaus_ ," Nik grits through her teeth as she sits in the back seat next to Hayley.

Klaus chuckles darkly. "That's more like it, love." Then, the door closes with a little more force than necessary and Nik clenches her jaw, crossing her arms while holding all of her screams and curses.

A few moments later, Klaus and Elijah join them in the vehicle. Thankfully, Elijah has taken the role of driving, which puts Nik at ease. That leaves the teenager slumped in the backseat, head resting against the window as she already begins to doze back off, tired of witches and hybrids and her eternally-evil father.

…

 _Nik knows she'll never take another shower for granted._

The moment the teen stepped through the door, she sped off to her room to collect clothes and quickly locked herself in her in-suite bathroom. She'd spend the next hour and a half scrubbing herself of dirt and grime from her night spent on the ground, turning the water black. Then, she washed her hair twice to rid it of blood and conditioned it so her curls wouldn't be so tangled.

She finally felt like a person.

Now, she wanders downstairs to see where her father and uncle have gone off to. Hayley locked herself away in the room next to Nik's a while ago- presumably to shower and get some sleep like Nik plans on doing once she knows where everyone is.

"Elijah?" Nik calls as she walks around the plantation house. She wanders near the study where she had been last night, her brow furrowed. "Elijah? Klaus?"

Then, she hears something heavy hit the floor. _Another one of their quarrels?_ Nik edges into the study, her eyes landing on Klaus' figure who stands tall, his chest heaving. In the floor, she sees the lifeless form of her uncle with a stake embedded in his chest. His form his limp and lifeless, his skin ashen.

"Elijah!" Nik cries, shoving her way passed Klaus and she kneels over the man's body. She releases a breathless sob, reaching out to pull the stake from his chest. Instead, she feels Klaus' hand on the collar of her shirt, yanking her up as he pulls Nik away from Elijah.

"Eli…" Her scream is muffled by Klaus' hand over her mouth, eyes exactly identical to hers staring back.

Klaus draws his hand away, but he still holds Nik by her shirt collar. She's left dangling as Klaus holds her eye-level to him, his expression evil and twisted. "Don't you breathe a _word_ of this to Hayley. Do you understand me, girl?"

"Bring him back!" Nik wheezes, wriggling in Klaus' grasp.

"You see, Nikol, I cannot do that. With Elijah in my way, he stands in the way of my kingdom. He stands against everything I must do to win my city back. He stands in the way of you," Klaus states matter-of-factly. He smiles darkly, then lets Nik fall to the hardwood floor.

Nik struggles for a breath. "You've never wanted me. I'm a disease to you."

Klaus chuckles. "What is a king without an heir?" Then, he looks down at Elijah's body and back to Nik. "You will learn to accept me as your father. Forget all of the love and kindness and mercy- it makes you weak."

" _I hate you_ ," Nik sneers. After all these years, Klaus has decided to take an interest in her. And for what reason besides to make her miserable?

Klaus grins. "That's a good start. Now, say your goodbyes with your uncle. You won't see him for a very long time." He starts to walk from the room, his footsteps echoing through the study. Then, he stops and turns to look at Nik. "Listen, and listen well- the _moment_ you tell what has happened here today, I'll take Elijah away and hide him in such a place where _God_ couldn't even find him. Then, I'll have no problem putting a dagger in your chest and I will be on my merry way. Do I make myself clear?"

Nik takes in a shaky breath. "Yes."

"Yes, _what?"_

Tears rush down Nik's face for the second time in less than twenty-four hours. All of the fragile pieces that made up her life comes crashing down around her in little pieces that she won't be able to fix again.

"Yes, _Father."_


	5. Chapter 5

**C.5: Disturbing Behavior**

 **Once again: everyone is absolutely amazing! I want to thank everyone for their amazing reviews to my story. They're my inspiration to carry on and write!**

 **These chapters focus on how Klaus and Nik develop a father/daughter relationship over the three months Elijah is gone. There will be a chapter for each month, and we see how they interact and see how Klaus learns to (finally) love his daughter. Also, for those of you who have been requesting a flashback for a Klaus/Nik moment, your wish has been granted.**

 **Everyone enjoy and please, click that awesome little review button!**

* * *

 _~Month 1~_

 _She hates coming out of her room._

Nik has stayed hoarded inside her bedroom for the entire month Elijah has been gone. She comes out only when called, and Klaus is the one who usually beckons her out of her fortress, picking fights in one way or another. Other times, Hayley knocks at her door and _begs_ her to come out so Nik will eat something. Then, on the rare nights that she has nightmares about faceless figures kidnapping her and seeing Elijah's body dropped before her, she pads down to Hayley's room where she sleeps the rest of the night because she's too afraid to go back to her own room.

She's just tired of feeling alone- tired of feeling worthless and inferior.

 _God,_ she just misses Elijah.

Nik's eyes drift towards the clock on the wall. The hour drifts closer to noon and Nik still hasn't left the safety of her room. Hayley came knocking for her to eat breakfast this morning, but Nik pretended to be sleep and didn't begin to move until Hayley gave up and went back downstairs.

Nik knows that Hayley must be lonely, but she can't bring herself to leave. She doesn't want to be where Klaus is unless she absolutely must.

The teenager leans back deeply against the wall behind her. She has taken up residence in the window seat, looking out over lands of the plantation. She watches as the leaves on the trees move with the summer breeze and dark clouds creep across the blue sky, the promise of rain coming later tonight for the scorching city of New Orleans.

Then, Nik finds herself startled by her door being thrown open and she looks over with wide eyes to see Klaus standing in her doorway. The Original smiles his ever-twisted smile, leaning against Nik's doorway as he inspects Nik's room.

"Ahhh...I can see why you like staying holed up in here," Klaus says, taking in the white Christmas lights strung up around her room and the piles of books everywhere. "It's quite cozy."

Nik frowns, crossing her arms. "What do you want?"

"That's no way to talk to your father," Klaus tuts as he enters the room. Nik watches as Klaus grabs the chair Nik carried in from the study, dragging it over to sit in front of the teenager. "Besides, your presence is missed. It didn't go unnoticed that Hayley tried to get you out of here, and she obviously failed. Social interaction does well for developing minds, and some time with your dear old dad will serve as _excellent_ mental stimulation."

Nik rolls her eyes. "For what reason? Whenever we're together, we argue until you banish me back to my room."

"To simply spend time together, Nikol," Klaus states, grinning widely.

" _Poppycock_ ," Nik grits, refusing to look back at Klaus.

At this, Klaus stands and Nik begins to think that he'll go away. Instead, he grabs her shoes and rummages through her wardrobe and throws them towards her. "I _refuse_ to play this game. You have _fifteen minutes_ to make yourself presentable and you will meet me downstairs. If not, I'll drag you through the Quarter in your bed clothes kicking and screaming."

Nik looks down at the clothes the threw her way- black leggings and a red top with the shoulders open. She grins darkly, looking at Klaus. "What a cute outfit. Perhaps you should be a fashion designer instead of a full-time, deadbeat dad."

Klaus growls. " _Fifteen minutes."_ Then, he slams the door and the pictures on the wall shake and some of her glass figures fall over on a shelf.

Huffing, Nik stands up and begins to dress. She slides into her black Converse and walks to her bathroom where she begins brushing out her hair, grumbling under her breath as she fashions her blond locks into a braid.

Then, the brooding teenager leaves her room after grabbing a thin jacket in case of rain. On her way to the stairs, she's met with a concerned looking Hayley who gazes down at her.

"Nik? Where are you going?" Hayley stops her from going off the first step, her hand gripping Nik's shoulder gently.

"It seems Father wants to spend 'quality time' together," Nik answers flatly. " _Father"_ rolls off her tongue unnaturally and Nik hates it. In actuality, Nik has _plenty_ of other names to call Klaus. She only addresses him by the familiarity because he demanded it and it kept them from fighting more than they already do. "He said he wants to go the the Quarter today."

Hayley frowns deeply. Nik knows that Hayley's relationship with Klaus is as horrid as her own, though they don't quarrel as much. "He's taking you to the Quarter? That's the last pace you need to go." Hayley speaks of the incident with the witches last month. Nik knows that Hayley hates for her to go anywhere near the Quarter- they're both a little scared to go back.

"I'll be fine," Nik says, smiling gently. "I'll let you know I'm home the moment I'm through the door."

"You better," Hayley replies, playfully yanking Nik's braid before going back to her room.

Nik saunters downstairs, her eyes finding Klaus who lounges in the front room. He's sitting on a loveseat, nursing a glass of what Nik thinks is scotch.

Klaus looks over to Nik, the corners of his mouth turning up. "You are right on time, Nikol. Let me put my glass away and we will be going."

Nik only nods, watching as her father disappears into the kitchen to put his glass in the sink. She waits silently until the man returns, only moving when Klaus puts his hand on her back to usher her out the door.

"Today, daughter mine, I will teach you what it means to be my heir," Klaus boasts, leading Nik out to his car.

Nik lifts an eyebrow at her father. "Are we to bathe the streets in blood, Father?"

Klaus grins, opening Nik's door for her. "If that is what it takes, little one." Nik ducks inside the car, sitting back in the seat as Klaus shuts the door. She has her seatbelt on before Klaus is in the car, the man letting the engine roar to life.

Nik gives Klaus an uneasy look. "Please don't drive fast. I'm afraid I'll become sick."

Klaus makes a sound. "You won't have the time to become ill, because the moment you look like you will be, I'll throw you from the vehicle. This is a custom car, I'll have you know."

"Stop your harping and drive," Nik huffs.

Then, as if to make Nik angry, Klaus floors the gas and speeds out of the driveway with a dark smile.

…

" _Is it wise that you have brought me to the Quarter?"_

Nik stands next to Klaus, overlooking the bustling French Quarter. She only remembers the area of the Quarter Elijah took her to and not much else. She remembers how busy the Quarter was then, but Nik fears she will easily be lost amongst the crowd now. She also is afraid she may be found by the Quarter's witches.

Klaus gives a shake of his head. "It isn't wise at all, little one. However, not a soul will dare to challenge you with me close by."

"Your ego is showing, Father," Nik says in a sing-song voice. She earns a dark look from Klaus and she can only smile, watching as Klaus' dark expression falls and he gives her the tiniest smile back.

"Enough with the chatter. We have some sightseeing to do," Klaus counters, making a "Let's Go" gesture with his hand. As they begin walking, Nik feels his hand grip her shoulder. "I pray that you would pay attention to me during this little excursion."

Nik nods. "But of course."

During their walk, Nik finds herself listening to Klaus talk of the times he ruled over the Quarter. The entire Mikaelson family lived here once upon a time. During the mess of it, she recalls the name _Marcel_ once more. She thought little of it during the month without Elijah, but she can't help but to think of the man's name.

Nik gulps back her nervousness, looking to Klaus. "Father?"

"Yes, Nik?"

"When Elijah came to the cemetery, he mentioned a man here in the Quarter. He called him Marcel," Nik says, looking up at Klaus.

She really wishes she hadn't.

Klaus stops them in the middle of their walk. His hand grips her wrist with bruising force, his eyes boring into hers with a fury Nik has never seen. "Don't you _ever_ mention that name aloud again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," Nik stammers, pulling her arm and Klaus lets go. Nik stumbles a little, wrist held to her chest and she massages her hurt wrist as she stares up at Klaus with nervous eyes.

Klaus only shakes his head, gesturing for her to follow him. "Come on, now." Then, she obediently follows the man all while rubbing the ache out of her wrist.

Their walk is brief and Klaus stops in front of a large building. Nik can't help but to smile- the building is very colorful with several balconies on the outside. Streamers are strewn across them in Mardi Gras colors despite the holiday being long over.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" Klaus asks, smiling fondly.

"It's gorgeous," Nik answers softly. "This is where our family lived?" Nik studies her father's face, noting that the man goes through a series of emotions- sadness, anger, want, happiness.

Klaus gives a slight nod. "This is where our family was happy. I was happy. It's called the Abattoir."

Nik falls silent a moment, looking down to the ground. Then, she peeks shyly at Klaus. " _He_ lives here, doesn't he?" Is this why Klaus became angry with her for saying Marcel's name? Because he resides here in the Quarter, having taken everything her father worked for?

"That is a story for later; but yes, he does," Klaus murmurs. Then, his blue eyes are ablaze like Nik has never seen. "Someday soon, we will have the Abattoir as our own again. The Mikaelsons shall have power back in the Quarter."

"Is this where you give your monologue as 'The Rightful King of New Orleans?'"

Klaus smiles wryly. "I'll save that speech for another day. Now, I do believe our little adventure is over. We should be going home."

Nik nods in compliance, not arguing that she wishes to stay out. As bad as she hated to come with Klaus, she has enjoyed her time in the Quarter. She has even enjoyed her time with her father.

 _I suppose there is a first for everything,_ Nik thinks.

On their way back through the Quarter, Nik takes care to look around. She takes in the shops and restaurants around her, mentally making a note to somehow get Klaus to bring her out here.

 _A snowball has a better chance in hell than I have of getting Klaus to bring me out here again._

Nik finds herself looking into the window of one of the stops, one of the dresses catching her eye. The dress would be a little over knee length on Nik- it's sleeveless and black with subtle accents of pink roses across the fabric.

Then, she feels a strong hand grip her shoulder and Nik jumps, turning around to see her father looking at her with a glare.

"What on _earth_ do you think you're doing?" Klaus asks hatefully. "I thought someone grabbed you and ran off."

Nik releases a shuddering breath. "I-I'm sorry. I was just looking and my mind slipped. It was an accident, Father."

Klaus looks from Nik and to the shop window. His eyes take in the dress and he looks back to Nik, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You have an eye for fashion like your aunt."

"It's a beautiful dress," Nik says, looking up to the dress again.

"The dress is beautiful," Klaus agrees softly. "Perhaps we can come to the Quarter again soon to see if they still have the dress."

"Really?" Nik asks hopefully, smiling widely at Klaus.

Klaus chuckles. "Really. Now come on, silly girl."

…

" _So he wasn't a total dick?"_

Nik looks up from her spot on Hayley's bed. The teenager sauntered up to Hayley's room as promised after her French Quarter excursion️ and has told the werewolf girl everything that happened.

Nik shrugs. "He was okay. He treated me like his child for the first time today...and it was surreal. Granted, he got fed up at times but he wasn't a total jerk."

"I assume that hand-shaped bruise on your wrist was a result of Klaus' short temper?" Hayley asks indifferently, gesturing to Nik's blue and purple wrist. "Nothing slips by me, kid."

"He could have ripped me to shreds. Some bruises are a triumph compared to whatever torture he could have conjured up," Nik dismisses. She'd heal within the next two days- nothing Nik was truly worried about.

Hayley rolls her eyes. " _Mmmhmm_. Whatever you say, Nik." Then, Hayley stands up and walks over to Nik. Nik feels the older girl hook her arms under Nik's, pulling her from the bed and she unceremoniously dumps her into the floor. "C'mon, you get to help me make dinner."

Nik groans, rolling to her stomach on the carpeted floor. "I don't wanna. I just wanna sleep."

"Listen, your uncle will kill me if I don't keep you alive somehow. Klaus doesn't care if you starve- _I do_ ," Hayley says, playfully prodding Nik with her foot. "And you can't sleep the rest of your life away. It's not healthy."

Nik raises an eyebrow. "Do tell why, All Mystical Werewolf Guru Lady."

"You're depressed, Nik," Hayley points out. "You stay in your room. You don't eat and you sleep all day. You won't talk to anyone. You're hurting yourself, squirt."

Nik opens her mouth to argue, but closes it upon the realization that Hayley has read her like a book. _She's depressed._ Depressed because Elijah's gone and she's stuck here with Klaus as a paternal figure and the mother of her sibling as a kind of guide, although Hayley isn't bad to have as company.

"And what do we do about it?" Nik asks.

"We just get you through it," Hayley answers softly. Then, she smiles and extends her hand to Nik. "Let's go make dinner. You can chop the onions because they make me cry."

Nik laughs and takes Hayley's hand, rising to her feet to follow Hayley down the stairs.

…

 _~Klaus~_

 _The hour is late when Klaus stumbles through the door._

The Hybrid pinches the bridge of his nose as he kicks the door shut behind him as quietly as possible. He would hate the startle both the girls awake- assuming that both of them are actually asleep. The girls were very much night owls and they were up and about the house when Klaus came home more times than he could count.

Klaus throws his keys on an end table near one of the couches in the sitting room, releasing a long sigh of exasperation. He definitely had enough of Marcellus for one night and, if he were being honest, has had enough of the man for all eternity. His pride, though, would not allow for Marcel to take away his beloved city and home. He wouldn't dare keep Klaus' title as king.

Klaus doesn't see himself giving up the city he worked so hard to build.

Ignoring the urge to drink himself senseless, Klaus eases up the staircase with a certain mission in mind. He clutches a small bag held in his hand, searching for Nik's room in the darkness. Once he finds Nik's door on the far left, he carefully peeks inside to ensure the girl is asleep. Several nights upon coming home, he has found Nik in Hayley's bed due to nightmares or she was up reading until exhaustion had the better of her.

Tonight, thankfully, she's in her own bed.

Easing inside, he walks across the hardwood floor and kneels down at Nik's bedside. The blond child breathes in and out deeply, sleeping soundly for what is the first time in a month. _The first time since he daggered Elijah_.

Daggering Elijah had been no easy task for him. His brother always backed him in any given situation, but he couldn't conquer Marcel with Elijah standing in the way. He couldn't win Nik's affections with Elijah a footstep away.

He loved his daughter, even if his techniques were unorthodox.

Now, he looks at his child. He has never truly sat down and given much thought to how Nik looks. She's blond with curly hair and wide blue eyes, the most violent shade of blue Klaus had ever seen. She's pale with a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and has his angular features. Nik is Klaus made over.

Klaus remembers not a time that he was this close to Nik, except years ago when she was still very small. Nik had been very ill, and Elijah _begged_ him to sit with her until he went to town to grab things he needed for Nik's care.

Klaus dares to say that's the day he fell in love with his daughter.

…

 _~Arkansas, 2004~_

" _Brother, please stay with her just a few moments."_

 _Klaus stares at his elder brother in disdain, his eyes watching the body of the scrawny five-year-old attached to him. Nik shivers despite the thick blanket Elijah wrapped her in and she releases series of shuddering coughs that have kept Klaus up for two nights without end._

 _He has no desire to be coughed and sneezed on by a sickly child._

" _Unfortunately, Elijah, that goes against my plans," Klaus says, watching as a dark look crosses Elijah's face._

" _You have no plans," Elijah snaps, adjusting Nik in his arms. Klaus can see that his brother is exhausted and worn down, and he doesn't feel any sympathy for him. "It will not kill you to hold your daughter for thirty minutes while I locate the nearest drug store. I have ran out of fever reducer and cough syrup and she's getting worse while you stand there, you pig-headed man, and refuse to watch her."_

 _Klaus glares and the Hybrid crosses his arms. He may look like a toddler throwing a tantrum, but he will_ _ **not**_ _watch that sorry excuse of a girl Elijah has brought home._

 _His resolve is broken, though, once Elijah comes marching towards him and plops Nik in his arms. Klaus' arms wrap around the trembling child instinctively, feeling the little girl shake harder because she's in his arms._

" _Allow me to correct you: you_ _ **will**_ _hold her until I return. All you must do is simply sit down and keep her wrapped in her blanket. She also enjoys being rocked," Elijah says quickly, holding no room for argument. Then, he smiles down at Nik who looks up at him as though he's insane for leaving her with Klaus. "I won't be long, princess. Behave for your father and all will be well."_

 _Nik nods. "'Kay, 'Lijah."_

" _That's my girl," Elijah praises, grabbing his jacket and speeding out the door before Klaus has the chance to oppose his wishes._

 _Klaus stands still a moment, not sure whether he is angry or shocked. The only thing that draws him from his thoughts is Nik who releases a long, shuddering cough from her place in Klaus' arms._

 _The Hybrid huffs, adjusting Nik in his arms so she isn't held awkwardly. "Okay, girl. Stop spreading your germs and stay still."_

" _I'm sorry," Nik croaks, her voice scratchy from all of the coughing. Klaus can hear her lungs working to clear herself of congestion and her nose is stuffy._

 _Klaus feels Nik lay her head in the crook of his Nik, too tired to care about consequence. Her hands desperately clutch his shirt as though his mere presence might cure her._

 _Sighing, Klaus starts for the stairs with Nik wrapped tightly in his arms. "Let's do something to make us both a little less miserable, Nikol." He climbs the stairs and finds his own personal bathroom, shutting the door behind him. He settles Nik on his hip, going to the shower where he turns on the hot water, letting the hot water run into the tub._

 _He has no idea what to give her to make her feel better, but he can at least keep that horrid cough at bay with the steam from the shower._

" _You're not gonna try to drown me, are you?" Nik slurs tiredly, her warm breath tickling Klaus' neck._

 _Klaus almost laughs as he settles in the floor at the base of the shower. He sets Nik in his lap, quickly stripping her blanket away despite the girl's protest. "I've done a lot of things, Nik, but I wouldn't stoop as low as to kill a child."_

 _Nik hugs herself impossibly closer to Klaus, her body shaking. Klaus settles his arm around her back, hugging her close; his free hand cradles the back of her head. "You will be plenty warm in a second. Just worry about breathing, little one."_

 _Ten minutes pass and the bathroom is filled with steam. It has fogged the mirrors and has given heat to the room, making Nik's shaking stop as she finally rests comfortably against Klaus' chest. Her coughing and wheezing hasn't stopped, but it is enough to give the exhausted Hybrids a much needed break._

 _Klaus looks down to his exhausted daughter. The tiny five-year-old is dozing, her fever-flushed cheek pressed against his chest. The Original can't help but to think she looks a great deal like him with her blond hair and all. He has yet to see her temper, but he suspects that she's like him in that area, too._

 _Their only difference seems to be is that Klaus is cruel, and his daughter is kind. He knows that she doesn't deserve his hatred and his anger- she has had enough of that in her short life. Maybe he can protect her from it. He can shield himself with indifference and he can distance himself. He'll protect her from all of the pain and evil it comes with being his daughter._

 _For now, though, he'll hold her and love her- even if it's just a little while._

…

Klaus smiles fondly at the sleeping teenager a final time, reaching towards her to stroke her blond hair. He bends over the slumbering girl, pressing a kiss on her forehead before rising to his feet.

He treds quietly to the end of Nik's bed where there is a wooden chest. He places the bag he had carried up with him on the chest- Klaus couldn't resist going back to buy that dress for Nik no matter how many times he tried to talk himself out of it. He also brought her a few more things to wear with the outfit- earrings and a charm bracelet.

Klaus knew she deserved the gifts after his behavior with her.

He edges out of the room, looking back at Nik a final time before leaving. "Goodnight, little one."

Then, if he heard a slurred, "Goodnight, Dad," following after his words, he'd never know


	6. Chapter 6

**C.6: Paternal Instinct**

 **I am so sorry for the late update! I recently just started working and, so far, work has been kicking my butt.**

 **However, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Klaus** _ **finally**_ **starts to be a good parent and we are introduced to a certain vampire.**

 **I can only hope everyone enjoys and feedback is always appreciated!**

 **Read and Review!**

* * *

 _~Month 2~_

 _Nik pulls a blanket over an exhausted Hayley._

"I can't thank you enough for this, Nik," Hope groans, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Misery shines in her eyes and Nik can tell the beginning of this pregnancy is going to be a rocky one. The poor woman had a horrible case of morning sickness, which lasted all day and into the night sometimes. Nik hopes that Hayley will get over the sickness soon because it's driving her to exhaustion and making her weak.

Nik gives the werewolf a small smile. "It's no problem. Try to sleep a bit if you can and I'll bring you something to eat later if you can stomach it."

"Thanks," Hayley mumbles. "You're awesome, kid."

Nik chuckles, choosing not to say anything and she leaves the room to allow Hayley to sleep. That leaves her by herself, wandering the house silently. She has no particular desire to read and she doesn't want to go back to her room, so she walks about until she hears her father's heartbeat drumming from one of the rooms upstairs.

In the last month, Nik's relationship with Klaus has improved greatly. They have stopped arguing, but has not stopped them from disagreeing with one another at all. Klaus has been kind and gentle with her, lifting her dark mood a little. Klaus, though, could never take Elijah's place in her heart. She loves her father dearly, but wishes Elijah were present.

The teenager finds herself following Klaus' heartbeat. It leads her down the hall and she finds herself standing in front of a door leading to a room she has never ventured before. So, she knocks softly and listens for activity in the room.

"Father? May I come in?"

Then, she hears something rustle and the door is opened by Klaus who looks down at her curiously. "But of course, little one. I was going to come find you anyway." She's ushered inside and Nik looks around the room, smelling paint and the scent of paper. The room's floor is covered in a plastic tarp to protect it from paint and there are canvases lined up everywhere.

Nik looks up to Klaus. "So you come in here to paint?"

Klaus smiles softly. "When time permits, yes." He looks as stress free as Nik has ever seen him. His shirt is splattered with paint and his blue eyes twinkle. "Tell me, little one- do you draw?"

Nik almost laughs at the question. _Do you draw?_ The girl's past attempts at drawing are _horrific_. She has long since given up the fine art of drawing and has opted out to write and play piano like her uncle.

"I can't draw a straight line, Father," Nik says, looking at the elaborate paintings around her. She certainly hasn't inherited Klaus' ability to draw and paint.

"Seems that we will have to remedy that," Klaus states. Nik watches as Klaus walks around the room, grabbing a spare easel and he searches for a canvas. She watches as Klaus sets the easel up next to his own work, motioning Nik to join him while he continues to search for a canvas. "You may not be able to draw, but anyone can paint. You have seen styles such as abstract and contemporary. An imbecile could paint."

Nik raises an eyebrow. "Are you calling me an imbecile?"

"No, you silly girl," Klaus admonishes playfully. "You may behave like one at times, but you are not an imbecile. Now, it seems I have no spare canvases at the moment. Would you care to accompany me to the Quarter? I have to pick up a few things, anyhow."

"So late in the evening?" Nik asks, worried that they might not get back before dark. Klaus has warned her several times of the dangers of being out after dark- being nabbed by witches and rouge vampires lurking in the Quarter.

Klaus chuckles. "We won't be but a moment. Go put your shoes on and meet me downstairs, little one."

Nik obeys silently, going to slip into her Converse before going downstairs to wait on Klaus. The silent teen waits a few moments more before her father saunters down the stairs, shrugging into his leather jacket before he snatches the keys off the table.

"Come on, Nik. It is just a quick run to the Quarter and back," Klaus reassures, leading Nik out the door despite her obvious discomfort.

Nik gives her father a look. "I have no argument in this matter, do I?"

Klaus smirks darkly. "No. No, you don't."

…

 _Nik follows Klaus to a small shop in the heart of the Quarter._

The shop is cozy and homey, which Nik enjoys. The shelves are stocked with every kind of art supply imaginable- paints, canvases, stencils, brushes, and other decorations one would need for crafting. Though the store is tiny, the items are made of the finest quality and she knows that Klaus will not paint on or with just anything.

"Come with me. I need to find our canvases," Klaus beckons softly, and Nik obeys. She closely follows her father, watching as he weaves in and out of the isles to find their needed items. The easily snatches up a few canvases for the two of them and he grabs brushes. Then, he makes a beeline for the paint where Nik watches Klaus debate over shades of blue for a painting.

Nik rolls her eyes at the spectacle. Her father, a cold-hearted and uncaring murderer, is doing something as mundane as contemplating over paint. "Father, does the shade of blue matter?"

Klaus looks up at her like she just ripped his heart out. " _Of course_ it matters. In my painting, I am recreating a night sky. If you mix paints to obtain a color, it may become too dark or it may appear brown. You, little one, have no heart when it comes to this particular activity."

Nik struggles to hide her smile and she covers her laughter with coughs. Klaus only glares and it makes Nik erupt into a fit of giggles.

"That is why I am here to better you," Klaus says, nudging Nik playfully. "Now, let's get out of here. Perhaps we can stop by the small sweets shop around the corner before going home."

Then, just like an excited toddler, Nik follows. Her time with Klaus have been less chaotic and she has actually had fun with her father these last few weeks.

She can only hope things continue to go this well.

Once their items have been paid for, Nik walks behind Klaus with two of the lightest bags from the arts and crafts store. Nik protested, of course, but Klaus dismissed her. He said something about being a " _gentleman_ " and Nik would have laughed hadn't it been for them in the crowd.

Activity in the Quarter is lively despite it being late evening. Nik struggles to keep close to her father, silently cursing him for bringing them to the Quarter. No doubt half of these people are flocking to pubs and bars all across the Quarter for a night on the town.

Once she's through the masses, Nik scans around for her father. The man seems to be nowhere in sight and she doesn't have a clue as to where he might have been going or where this sweets shop was he spoke of.

"Father, where are you?" Nik calls, her voice squealing as she clutches their shopping bags, blue eyes scanning the several people walking down the sidewalks. "Father?"

Then, she feels a cloth over her mouth and something burning her flesh. She's pulled backwards and into the dark, and she fights like her life depends on it because it does. She bites, kicks, scratches, and goes as far as to use her magic to escape. "Father!"

Then, just before she can escape, there's pain in her face and her world spins.

Her last coherent thought is " _Father"_ as darkness washes over her.

…

 _Nik awakes to a throbbing jaw and her body burns._

Nik's eyes peel open, taking in the space around her. Her battered body has been thrown carelessly on the concrete, making her cramp and ache. Around her are crates and bags; the air smells damp and musky.

 _I've had it up to here with these impromptu kidnappings,_ Nik thinks as she sits up. Her bleary eyes take in everything around her and she believes she's being held somewhere akin to a basement. Everything is dark save for a dimly lit bulb shining overhead in the dank room and Nik frowns.

The teen takes a shuddering breath in, immediately regretting action. The air seems to burn her lungs further and she begins to choke, coughing as something sputters in the back of her throat. Then, she watching as dark liquid splatters to the floor and she knows it's blood.

 _What's wrong with me?_

Nik staggers to her feet, breathing shallowly through her nose. She feels her clothes stick to her body, although she's unsure whether or not it is water or sweat. Maybe both. She's freezing and feels like she'll start shaking and her teeth will chatter.

As she gains her bearings, she hears the fluttering of heartbeats and the hushed whispers of voices coming from above her. Dust falls from the floor above as they walk closer, sprinkling down upon Nik.

She scrambles to hide, nestling herself in the midst of several crates and other items hidden in the basement. Nik knows that they'll find her, but this might buy her some time. Then, her moment of relief is over as a door is wrenched open and the footsteps thunder down the stairs.

" _I swear if you idiots done anything to that kid…"_

Nik holds her hand over her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as though it might hide her away. She listens as three heartbeats fill the room, hammering wildly in her ears.

There's an exasperated huff from one of the men. " _She was_ _ **right there**_ _when we put her down here. Do you think she's more powerful than your witch let on?"_

" _Whatever that kid is, she scared your witch to death. She said she's a abomination, which is why we wanted to take care of the job already."_

Then, Nik hears a growl. " _No one is doing anything without my say-so. Now find the kid and let's get this ball rolling."_

The footsteps sound all around the room and Nik curls herself smaller, thinking of fight or flight. It shakes her to core as they edge closer to her, and Nik hears them come dangerously close.

Then, like a dark shadow looming over her, Nik feels someone lurking behind her. She hears a small, " _Boo,"_ and hands seize her up and Nik begins to struggle. Her fangs come out and her eyes are ablaze. Her hands warm and glow, the man that had grabbed her screaming and she hears burning skin.

"I thought you said you gave her more vervain?"

"I gave her enough to down half the compound!" hisses the vampire she burnt. He dropped her in the floor, howling in pain and Nik scrambles to her feet. She lunges for what what she thinks is a broom or mop handle, breaking it over her knee as she speeds about the room.

Nik releases a hacking cough and blood drips down her chin. She stands tall, though, and grips her makeshift stake. "I've had _enough_ of these kidnapping shenanigans! In the last two months, I got holed up by a group of witches and I sure as _hell_ won't let a group of vampires keep me in their lair!"

In the dim light, Nik can make out a dark skinned vampire. His hair is shaved short and he's thin and tall. His eyes are dark- almost black in the light. "Easy, kid- I just wanna talk."

"Yeah? Well, I don't. I wanna go home," Nik says as harshly as she can, but she realizes she sounds like a child with the demand. "Next one of you who grabs me is either getting their face burned off or I'm giving them a one-way ticket to the pits of Hell by way of the stake. _Your choice, gentlemen."_

Then, just like that, she's disarmed and shoved roughly to the floor. She feels someone come behind her, seizing her by her shirt collar and she's forced to look up to the man. She watches as he kneels down before her, grasping her chin in his hand. "They messed you up bad, sweetheart. Your face has definitely seen better days." Then, he frowns. "You're burning up. Looks like they gave you quite a bit of vervain."

Nik shakes her head. Her voice emerges a breathless whisper. "I just wanna go home. I didn't do anything."

"You're not in any trouble. A friend of mine just had bad thoughts about you and I decided I wanted to check it out," replies the man. Then, he gives a small smile. "You remind me of your aunt, I'll have you know."

Nik's eyes cut to the man's. "You...you know my aunt? Rebekah?"

"I have for a long time, kid," he replies. "And I know your dad- the dick kind of raised me."

Nik gulps back her fear, staring up into the eyes of the man her father raised. _Marcellus_. The boy her uncle often referred to in his journals and the boy who gave her father love and hope. The King of New Orleans.

Marcel chuckles softly, examining Nik. "You look just like your dad. You're kind of scary like him when you're pissed off, too."

"Is that a bad thing?" Nik croaks, struggling to keep from coughing so she won't vomit blood.

"Nah," Marcel dismisses. Then, he drops her head and leans back on his heels, his brow furrowed. "You don't seem like much of a threat. Elijah must have taught you manners, or you'd be a raging lunatic like your father."

"I have morals. They just disappear when I'm threatened needlessly by a man and his vampire cohort," Nik sniffles, her body shaking. She's not sure whether she's scared or cold. Maybe both.

Marcel grins. "You definitely sound like him. Tell you what, kid- you and I will go upstairs a bit. We can get you cleaned up and we are gonna chat." The vampire extends his hand, offering to help Nik up. She accepts his help, staggering to her feet.

Marcel silently leads her across the room, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. He bends down slightly, looking into Nik's eyes. "Before we go any further, I have to do something. First: tell me your name, sweetie."

"My name's Nik," Nik stammers, shuddering when Marcel grabs her shoulders and squeezes softly.

"Well, Nik- I want you to close your eyes for me and sing. Cover your ears if you think it'll help," Marcel commands gently. He gives her cheek a soft tap and he nods. "Close your eyes and sing something nice. Focus on that and nothing else."

Nik listens hesitantly. She lets her eyes drift closed, thinking of a song that's easy and simple. Before she can stop herself, _You Are My Sunshine_ rolls off her tongue- it was something Elijah crooned to her after a bad dream when she was little or something just to entertain her.

Then, there's screaming.

" _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine."_ Nik almost screams when screeches rip through the air, the sounds of bones snapping and breaking.

" _You make me happy when skies are grey."_ Blood splatters on the floor and on the walls. A body hits the concrete floor, knocking over crates and boxes.

" _You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."_ Nik hears the breaking of wood and after, there's the sound of something sharp tearing through flesh and muscle.

Nik covers her ears and rocks on her heels️, eyes still squeezed shut. Her breathing comes in panicked, wheezing gasps and she feels tears burn in her eyes. _I want to go home_ , Nik thinks. _I want my dad._

She only opens her eyes when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She looks up to see a blood covered Marcel looking down at her, nodding to the stairs. "Let's go upstairs."

Nik sniffles to keep herself from crying. "Y-You killed them."

"They didn't listen, anyways. I can't have them beating up kids, can I?" Marcel asks, raising an eyebrow. "C'mon, squirt. Let's get you cleaned up and we're going to talk a little."

Nik watches as Marcel mounts the stairs and the shaking teenager follows behind him, sniffling to keep from bursting into tears.

…

 _Nik finds herself sitting in a rather large study._

One of Marcel's vampires, a woman named Kate, led her to what must be his study after Nik washed her pallid face of blood. She was asked to take Nik there and keep her comfortable, which bewildered Nik. The enemy wasn't supposed to be nice and compassionate, but Nik isn't complaining.

It sure beats being held in a tomb.

Nik shakily sips at a glass of water, the cold drink soothing her burning throat. While she cleaned herself in the bathroom, she coughed up so much blood it scared her. Nik never knew the effects of vervain, but she has discovered it has made her feverish and weak and sick.

A few moments later, the door opens and Nik's wide eyes snap towards the figure entering. Marcel steps in, wearing a fresh set of clothes free of the blood he soaked himself in earlier.

"I'm sorry I can't get you any clothes," Marcel apologizes, closing the door behind him. "You're literally the tiniest kid I've ever seen and we don't have anything your size. How old are you- eleven?"

Nik shakes her head. "I'm thirteen. I've always been little." Her voice trembles, raw from the force of coughing so harshly.

"Thirteen- that's a big number," Marcel says, coming to sit down across from Nik in a leather armchair. He leans forwards eagerly, clasping his hands. "So, how did you wind up down here with just Klaus for company?"

Nik gives Marcel a look, but chooses to answer the man anyways. "Elijah came down here to clean up Klaus' mess. Father stuck a dagger in his chest two months ago, leaving me with him."

"It must suck with just Klaus around. He's not a very chipper man," Marcel comments, his eyes careful. Calculating.

"Father is nice enough. We've got along better than we ever have before," Nik offers, wringing her hands under Marcel's gaze. He's searching her for any lies and any signs of dishonesty.

Marcel only nods. Then, a look of curiosity crossed his face and he gestures to Nik. "You know, I'm awfully interested in that little display that took place in the basement. It's not everyday you see a baby vampire with glowing hands. Tell me how you can do that."

Nik almost bursts into laughter at that. "You're being _serious?_ I don't even know how I can do that. I'm not supposed to _exist_. I'm one of nature's loopholes. A freak show."

"I'm just curious, Nik," Marcel says gently. He even smiles a little and chuckles. "I wish I could have done that. It was pretty cool."

Nik falls silent, leaning back in the chair. She reaches up to rub her throbbing jaw, looking desperately to Marcel. "I just wanna go home. My dad is probably freaking out and I don't know what will happen…"

"You're gonna go home, Nik. I'm gonna call Klaus and you'll be all safe and sound. However, I want you to promise me something," says Marcel.

"What?"

"You're a special kid. You have all these powers- unlike anything I've ever seen," Marcel praises gently, but Nik can see there's something else. "I run a tight ship here in the Quarter, and I can't have people running around doing whatever. I need you to promise me that you'll never use magic in my Quarter. You're hardly a threat, but there are rules I need you to follow. And I don't want to see you in the Quarter after dark. It's dangerous with my goons running around."

Nik nods a little. She's more than happy to agree with the man's terms- just as long as she gets to go home.

Then, Marcel smiles. "Besides, you're a kid- you're family, seeing as Klaus has had a hand in raising us." He rises to his feet and reaches over to Nik, ruffling her blond curls. "Stay right here. I'm going to call Klaus and I'll take you down to him."

"Thank you," Nik rasps, slouching against the chair in relief. She watches as Marcel leaves the room, giving Nik a blessed moment of silence.

The time that passes seems like an eternity to Nik, but according to the grandfather clock in Marcel's study, only fifteen minutes have passed since he went to call Klaus. The hour edges closer to ten and Nik absently wonders how long she was unconscious when she was nabbed by Marcel's henchmen.

Another ten minutes pass before Marcel comes back. She can see annoyance all over the man's features and she doesn't have to guess Klaus ticked him off.

"Your dad is here," Marcel says, beckoning Nik to follow him. "He's outside waiting." Then, Nik rises to her feet, following Marcel down the winding stairs leading to the front door. She tries to ignore the shivers racing down her spine and finds her way out the door where she spies Klaus.

Whatever resolve Nik had built up against Klaus breaks immediately. The trembling teenager races towards her father, throwing her arms around him. There's a flood of relief when she feels Klaus wrap his arms tightly around her, holding her close to him.

" _Daddy."_ The name leaves Nik's lips like a prayer. She clings tightly to Klaus, feeling him work his fingers through her hair.

Nik feels Klaus drop a kiss on her head. "Are you okay, Nikol?"

"Yeah." Her voice trembles and she's on the verge of tears. She hides her face in Klaus' shoulder, trying to take a few steady breaths to calm herself.

Klaus gently hushes her. "You're safe. Step back and let me look at you." Nik takes a few teetering steps back, letting Klaus cradle her face. His blue hues sweep over her and she watches as his features morph into something evil.

"What did you do to her?" Klaus roars at Marcel. "How _dare_ you lay a hand on my child?"

Marcel rolls his eyes. "For an old man, you have quite the pipes. However, I didn't do anything to Nik. My men got a little too rough with her."

Klaus growls. "Bring them to me. I'll rip them apart."

"Already took care of the job. Paul and Aaron were almost useless, so it wasn't a total loss," Marcel shrugged, crossing his arms.

Nik looks up to her father and he looks down at her after a moment. She feels him lay his hand on her head, frowning at her heated skin. "You're burning up, little one. Did they give you something?"

"Vervain," Nik mumbles, dropping Klaus' gaze when his expression darkens even more.

Klaus rubs her back softly and points to the car parked at the curb. "I want you to sit in the car a moment while I speak to Marcel." Nik can tell that Klaus is barely controlling his temper, but he's trying not to throw a tantrum in her presence. "I will be with you shortly."

Nik nods and Klaus gives her a comforting smile. She sets off for the vehicle, ignoring the chill the night air seems to give her. Once she reaches Klaus' car, she eases herself into the passenger's seat and closes the door. She allows her head to rest on the window, her eyes drifting closed.

Nothing- not even Klaus' screaming- is going to keep her awake.

…

 _Nik wakes when a blast of cold air hits her skin._

Her eyes snap open, her body already trembling at the rush of air. However, she feels warm arms envelop her and she's lifted up, cradled against a strong chest.

"Easy, little one." Klaus' voice reaches her ears and it does little to ease her nerves. Nik curls close to Klaus, her wiry arms encircling his neck. Klaus holds her just as tightly, keeping her cradled close. "I've got you, Nik."

Nik releases a shuddering cough, trying to turn her head away from Klaus in case she coughs up blood like she had before. Klaus rubs her heaving back as he walks to the house, shushing her gently.

"I'm cold," Nik whispers, her teeth chattering. She can feel blood coating her lips from her coughing and she wipes it away with her shirt sleeve.

"You're running a fever, love," Klaus coaxes, carrying the shivering teen up the steps leading to the porch. "All of that vervain has made you ill."

Klaus sets her on her feet once they are at the front door. One arm still encircles Nik's waist while his free hand digs around for the key. Once the front door is unlocked and opened, Nik is scooped back up and is carried back inside the house, hanging onto her father like a lifeline.

As if on cue, Nik hears Hayley's footsteps sounding on the stairs. She doesn't pick her head up to look at the woman, feeling too exhausted to do anything.

"Klaus? Is Nik okay?" Hayley asks.

"She's been a little roughed up," Klaus answers gently.

At that, Nik feels her lips turn into a twisted smile and she chuckles weakly. "I love your definition of 'roughed up.'"

Klaus gives her a playful tap on her bottom. "Hush, you." Nik feels Klaus' body rumble softly with laughter and she grins. Then, he falls silent and Nik feels him bring her close. "I'm going to take good care of you, little one. I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again."

Nik hugs Klaus tightly. "I know, Dad."

"Listen- as _much_ as I'm happy about Nik being okay, I want to know what _the hell happened_." Hayley gives the two Mikaelsons a look and Nik can feel Hayley's glare burning into her back.

Klaus makes a sound. "That can be addressed later. For now, go get some clothes for Nik- something warm, preferably."

Hayley glares. "Fine. I expect the full story later, though."

"Whatever your heart desires. Now get those clothes. I'll take her to my bathroom and get her cleaned up," Klaus says, adjusting his hold on Nik. "She smells like a barn."

Nik coughs a little, sputtering her words out. " _Bite me_."

Klaus moves towards the stairs, laughing softly. "Watch yourself, little one. I'll drown you."

Nik snickers weakly, letting herself relax as Klaus whisks her away to be cleaned and dressed.

For the first time in a long time, she feels safe with her father.


	7. Chapter 7

**C.7: Our Little Messed Up Family**

 **Hey! I'm so sorry for the late update… school and work eats up most of my time and I've literally had NO time to write anything. So, with my few days off, I have written a small chapter. I will come up with the rest for next week and I can only hope everyone enjoys this!**

 **Thanks for reading and please review!**

* * *

 _~Month 3~_

 _Nik startles awake at the sound of someone pounding against the front door._

The blond teen huffs, rubbing her eyes- she's exhausted from having stayed up most of the night. She and Hayley stayed up into the wee hours only to be herded into bed by Klaus when he came in, telling her she was up way past any reasonable hour.

Swinging her feet over the edge of her bed, she makes her way out of her room and down the stairs. The knocking becomes louder and Nik fears the door may collapse because the knocking is so ferocious.

Nik gulps in uncertainty, edging towards the door where she carefully twists the knob and opens it. Usually, she's fearful of what could be on the other side of the door. Since she was taken by Marcel's posse, she's been rather reluctant to leave the plantation house and anyone who may wander by. Either Klaus or Hayley takes care of the few souls who comes here.

Once the door is open, she sees a familiar blond woman. She's angry, wearing a similar expression her father would wear. _Rebekah._ Nik grins widely and throws herself at the woman, hugging her close. " _Aunt Bex!"_

Rebekah's hug is warm and strong. The woman brings her close, hand cradling her head while her other arm holds her around the waist. "There you are, sweetheart. I've been _terrified_ for the last three months."

Nik sniffles, tears burning at her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I should have tried to call but Dad wouldn't allow it." She hugs Rebekah tightly, clutching her shirt.

"' _Dad?'_ What in the world has this psychotic wanker done to you, Nikol?" Rebekah asks, sounding every bit as angry as she had when she first walked in. "Just you wait until I get my hands on that backstabbing _jackass_. I'm going to-"

Heavy footsteps sound on the stairs and Nik looks up to see Hayley thundering down the stairs, holding an iron fire poker. She stared at Rebekah with narrowed eyes, body tense. " _Who the hell are you?"_

Rebekah flashes Hayley a smile. "You must be the maid. My bags are in my car- get them, will you?"

"I'm not the maid," Hayley says pointedly.

"You're Hayley, then," Rebekah says, looking over Hayley analytically. "You're the werewolf girl my brother knocked up. I was expecting some sort of supernatural, miracle baby bump. Guess you're not showing yet. It's Hayley, right?"

"You have your brother's manners."

"And his temper, so watch it," Rebekah snaps, winding her arm around Nik's shoulders. Then, she smiles down at Nik and smoothes her hair. "I hope you've taken care of my niece. Klaus doesn't care for her and Elijah doesn't seem to be present."

Nik feels guilt pool in her stomach. She recalls what her father done that horrid morning. He took away her uncle and has hidden him away she knows not where.

"He's been gone for a long time, actually."

"I do not believe that my brother would just leave. Not with Nik and your magical, miracle child," Rebekah says, her eyes drifting to the stairs. "That leads me to believe that my brother, Niklaus, has done something dastardly and Klaus-like. Klaus! Get out here and tell me what you've done with our brother, you narcissistic, backstabbing wanker!"

Nik watches as Klaus emerges from his study upstairs. The doors open with a dramatic flair and Nik has to keep her smile suppressed. Her father loves theatrics and to make things worse than what they are.

Klaus leans against the banister and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Enough of the shouting. Little sister, I should have known. I assume the six dead vampires are your doing?"

Rebekah smiles innocently. "They were _very_ rude. They tried to victimize a poor, innocent girl trying to find her way through the Quarter. Were they friends of yours? Oh, I'm sorry- _you have no friends."_

"I have Marcel," Klaus says smugly. He descends the stairs, his jacket slung over his shoulder. "He fancies himself 'King of the Quarter' now and he has these rules about killing vampire. I'll enjoy seeing what punishment he conjures up for you."

"I don't care about Marcel or his rules. Elijah doesn't welch on deals. What did you do to Elijah?"

"Perhaps he's taken a holiday," Klaus says, grinning widely. Nik feels the guilt grow stronger and she looks wrings her hands together, frowning ever slightly. She's terrified, though, if she tells what took place three months ago that her father will hide Elijah away from her and bury Nik six feet under ground. "Or he's taking a long autumn nap upstairs. Go on...take a look around the house. You remember it as well as I, sister."

Klaus saunters by them and he stops, looking down at Nik. He smiles softly and stoops down to kiss her forehead. "Behave yourself, Nikol. Do not leave the house."

Nik gives her father a small smile. "I won't, Dad."

"And be in bed at a decent hour. I should be home early, but do not be up late in case I stroll in at an ungodly hour," Klaus comments.

Nik rolls her eyes. " _Alright._ Now go on."

Klaus smiles smugly and ruffles Nik's hair. "Fantastic. Behave for your aunt- give her a hard time if you wish." Then, he's out the door and no one speaks until Klaus is out of earshot.

Rebekah's eyes flash down to Nik. "So, what has your hellish father done to make you bend to his will?"

"Believe it or not, he had been less... _prick-like_ the last few months," Nik replies, giving her aunt a smile she thinks is unconvincing.

"Hell must have frozen over," Rebekah mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose. Her blue eyes flicker down to Nik and she only smiles. "I'm only glad you two are getting along. Now, why don't we begin the search for Elijah?"

Nik nods, looking up to Hayley. "Let's follow Aunt Bex. She knows this house better than what us two do." She has not ventured anywhere near the downstairs area yet. Perhaps Klaus has hidden Elijah downstairs in his coffin? She recalls when her aunt and uncles were brought out of their coffins- Rebekah was ecstatic to meet her and Kol was curious. Finn, though, was cautious around her and distanced himself. Elijah told her Finn had been staked for centuries and Kol had been in the coffin over a hundred years. Rebekah was the one sibling who had been staked the least- ninety years spent inside her coffin.

She's sure they all have a fear of Klaus and his daggers.

The younger blond follows closely behind her aunt, traveling down the stairs leading to the cellar. The walk is reminiscent of the day Elijah led her downstairs to wake up their sleeping family members.

…

 _~Mystic Falls, 2010~_

" _They will be confused when they wake up, won't they?" Nik looks up to Elijah who have pulled the daggers from the hearts of her aunt and her two uncles._

 _Elijah gives a nod and a sad smile. "They have been sleeping for a very long time, Nikol. Times have surely changed for the three of them." He looks down at his siblings fondly and Nik sees that he loves his family more than anything. Nik silently wonders if they'll love her, too. Elijah is the only person in her life who grants her love and affection. She has been separated from her siblings a long while, her mother is dead, and her father hates her with everything in him._

 _Nik hopes she will have more people to love her._

" _Do you think they'll like me? I'm afraid they won't because I'm Klaus.'"_

 _Elijah turns, grasping Nik's shoulders. He smiles down at her, stroking her blond curls. "They will love you, little one. Rebekah will simply love having a niece; Kol will love your wicked sense of humor; Finn will love your intelligence."_

" _How can you be sure?"_

" _Would I ever lie to you, Nik?"_

 _Nik shakes her head. "No, Elijah."_

" _They will love you. I promise. Now, why don't you go upstairs? I will remain here until they wake and I will bring them to meet you once I have them caught up," Elijah suggests, smiling._

 _Nik only nods, looking between her uncle and the three coffins. Then, she edges up the stairs and scurries off to her room where she finds peace from the anxiousness of her family members._

…

 _After what feels like a lifetime, Nik hears a knock on her door and she sees Elijah peek his head in. She can see he has been crying a little, but she chooses not to say anything about it. Outside her door, she hears quiet heartbeats and deep breathing._

 _Elijah smiles. "Come. I have three people who would like to meet you."_

 _Nik gulps, carefully marking the page in her book and she rises from her bed. She edges out into the hallways, looking to her left to see a blond woman, a brown haired man who resembles Elijah a great deal, and an older man with brown hair and hazel eyes. Rebekah, Kol, and Finn._

 _Kol looks at Nik with wide eyes. "Oh my_ _ **God**_ , _she looks_ _ **just**_ _like Klaus. I bet she acts like him, too."_

 _Rebekah shoves Kol a little. "Nothing has changed at all, you moron. After almost two centuries you don't know who to keep your mouth_ _ **shut**_ _. Let the girl talk to us."_

 _Nik gives a soft smile to her three family members. "Hi. I'm Rebekah, but I go by Nikol. Nik, preferably."_

 _Rebekah grins widely. "I like her even more. She was named after me! It seems only_ _ **positively**_ _beautiful_ _are named Rebekah."_

" _Too bad she looks like Klaus." Kol smiles at Nik, chucking softly. "It looks like she's fairly nice, though. Perhaps it'll be enough."_

 _Finn only rolls his eyes. "As long as she did not drone on with needless gibberish, I will tolerate her."_

 _Nik decides she likes Rebekah. She is a little unsure of Kol, and is entirely iffy of Finn. She can only hope she grows to love these three individuals over time and they learn to love her._

 _She watches Rebekah walk forwards, looking down at her. "I've been asleep for quite a while now- will you catch this old soul up to the times?"_

 _Nik smiles sheepishly. "It shouldn't be a problem."_

" _Excellent," Rebekah chirps. Then, she turns to Kol and Finn and gives them a look. "Well, are you going to come with us?"_

 _Finn sighs heavily and Nik silently wonders whether he'd like to be back inside the coffin. "I'd prefer to stay to myself."_

" _I think I will catch up with Elijah, but I'll be happy to have a lesson on the 21st century later," Kol replies softly. "It's nice to meet you, though, love."_

 _Rebekah only smiles down at Nik. "There is more time for us, then. So, tell me about this cell phone Elijah told me of and this thing called the...interweb?"_

 _Nik giggles, leading her aunt down to her room._

" _We have quite a few areas to cover, it sounds like."_


End file.
